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REMINISCENCES 


OF 


JAMES  A.  GARFIELD 


WITH    NOTES 


PRELIMINARY  AND  COLLATERAL 


BY 

CORYDON  E.   DULLER 

President  of  the  Iowa  Loan  and  Trust  Company 


CINCINNATI 

STANDARD    PUBLISHING   CO. 
1887 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1886,  by 

CORYDON  E.   FULLER, 

In  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  Washington,  D.  C. 


CONTENTS. 

Page. 
Introduction I 

Chapter  I. 

Introductory  and  Autobiographical 9 

Chapter  II. 
Removal  to  Grand  Rapids,  Mich. — Poem  by  My  Mother. — Frank- 
lin Everett 1 6 

Chapter  III. 
Genesis  of  the  Eclectic  Institute. — Its  Objects  and  Aims. — Teach- 
ers in  1851 . 24 

Chapter  IV. 
My  First  Acquaintance  with  James  A.  Garfield. — His  Valedictory.       31 

Chapter  V. 
My  School  at  Hambden. — Letters  from  Mr.  Garfield ' 39 

Chapter  VI. 
A  Visit  to  Chagrin  Falls  and  Orange. — Spring  Term  of  the  Eclec- 
tic for  1852. — "  Dream  of  Ambition  " 45 

Chapter  VII. 
Joseph  Treat. — Family  of  Zeb  Rudolph.  —  End  of  Spring  Term..        52 

Chapter  VIII. 
Vacation. — Mr.   Garfield   and   I  Work  at   House-building. — Fall 

Term  of  1852. — Boarding  Club. — Improbable  Stories 58 

Chapter  IX. 
Dr.  Harlow's  Writing  School. — Letters  from  Mr.  Garfield. — True 

Story  of  his  Intimacy  with  Mary  L.  Hubbell . . 67 

Chapter  X. 
My  Return    to  Grand  Rapids. — Further  Correspondence. — "A 

Vision  " 75 


IV.  CONTENTS. 

Chapter  XI. 
Spring  Term  of  1853  at  Hiram. — Mr.  Garfield  Describes  a  Visit 

to  Bethany  College 84 

Chapter  XII. 
The  Moonlight  Burial. — Visit  to  Oberlin  College 90 

Chapter  XIII. 
Miss  Lydia  L.  Seymour. — Lines  to  her  Sister. — Fall  Term  of  1853 

at  Hiram. — Mr.  Garfield  at  Niagara 94 

Chapter  XIV. 
My  School  at  Sharon,  Penn. — Letters  from  Mr.  Garfield 101 

Chapter  XV. 
Correspondence   with    Miss   Mary   P.   Watson. — My    School    at 

Schraalenburgh,  N.  J. — World's  Fair  of  1854 107 

Chapter  XVI. 
Mr.  Garfield  and  I  Visit  Butler,  N.  Y. — A  Night  on  the  Hudson. — 

His  Visit  to  Schraalenburgh 1 14 

Chapter  XVII. 
Mistakes  and  Fables  of  Mr.  Garfield's  Biographers. — His  Journey 

to  Williamstown,  and  Examination  by  Pies.  Hopkins 123 

Chapter  XVIII. 
Three  Interesting  Letters  from  Mr.  Garfield. — A  Favorite  Poem.      131 

Chapter  XIX. 
A  Letter  from  Mr.  Garfield  to  Mis>  Watson. — Society  at  Schraal- 
enburgh        138 

Chapter  XX. 
Mr.  Garfield  Visits  the  South  Part  of  Berkshire  County. — Also, 

West  Rupert,  Vermont 143 

Chapter  XXI. 
Lines    to    "  Hattie." — A    Letter  to   Miss   Watson. — A  Visit   to 

Tappan 148 

Chapter  XXII. 
A  Visit  to  Mr.  Garfield  at  Williams  College. — The  "  Irrepressible 

Conflict  " 1 59 


CONTENTS.  V. 

Chapter  XXIII. 
Journey  to  Michigan. — Letters  from  Mr.  Garfield. — He  Preaches 

at  Poestenkill,  N.  Y 169 

Chapter  XXIV. 
"  Nebraska." — Letters  from  Mr.  Garfield  and  Miss  Booth 17S 

Chapter  XXV. 
Mr.  Garfield  Holds  a  Protracted  Meeting  at  Poestenkill. — Misha- 

waka. — A  Second  Letter  from  Miss  Booth 1S9 

Chapter  XXVI. 
"  Sam." — Mr.  Garfield  Revisits  Ohio 197 

Chapter  XXVII. 
A  Poem  by  Mr.  Garfield. — Letters 206 

Chapter  XXVIII. 
Mr.  Garfield   Appointed  for  the    Metaphysical  Oration  at  Com- 
mencement.— Several  Letters 216 

Chapter  XXIX. 

Visit  to  Williamstown. — Missionary  Jubilee 225 

Chapter  XXX. 
Mr.  Garfield  Graduates  with   High   Honors. —  Political  Canvass 

of  1856 235 

Chapter  XXXI. 

Life  in  Arkansas. — Slavery  in  1857 244 

Chapter  XXXII. 
A  Fire-eater. — Mr.  Garfield  Becomes  President  of  the  Eclectic. — 

Slavery  in  Arkansas 255 

Chapter  XXXIII. 

The  Southern  Ague. — Incidents  and  Experiences 266 

Chapter  XXXIV. 
The  Pine  Woods  of  Northern  Michigan. — Mr.  Garfield  Elected 

to  the  Ohio  Senate 277 

Chapter  XXXV. 
Garfield  in  the  Senate. — Election  of  Abraham  Lincoln. — Seces- 
sion       290 


Vi.      "  CONTENTS. 

Chapter  XXXVI. 
I    Visit    Columbus. — Mr.   Garfield   and   Myself  Visit   McArthur. 

The  Firing  on  Fort  Sumter 301 

Chapter  XXXVII. 
Buying  a  Newspaper. — The  War. — "The  Brave  at  Home." 312 

Chapter  XXXVIII. 
Col.  Garfield's  Victory  over   Humphrey  Marshall. — Poem,  "God 
Save   Our    Land." — Emancipation    ;n    the    District    of     Co- 
lumbia       323 

Chapter  XXXIX. 
New    Year's,    1863. — Letter    from    Murfreesboro. — Rosecrans. — 

Death  of  Dr.  Bracket. — Ohio  Election ^s 

Chapter  XL. 
Garfield  Made  a  Major  General. — Thanksgiving  Day  in  1863...     343 

Chapter  XLI. 
New  Year's,  1864. — Draft  Law. — How  Mr.  Garfield  Prepared  the 

Act. — Campaign  of  1864 350 

Chapter  XLII. 
Mr.    Garfield  Visits   Indiana.— His  Speeches. — Election   of    Mr. 

Lincoln. — Letter  from   Mr.  Colfax 360 

Chapter  XLI1I. 
I  Remove  to  Washington. — Reception   at   the   White    House  — 

Abraham  Lincoln. — Fall  of  Charleston. ..'...• 371 

Chapter  XLIV. 
Death   of  President  Lincoln. — Subsequent  Events. — End   of  the 

War. — The  Great  Review j8 1 

Chapter   XLV. 

Letters  from  Mr.  Garfield  and  Mr.  Colfax. — Archibald  Beal 392 

Chapter  XLVI. 
Further  Letters  from  Mr.  Garfield. — My  Removal  in  1867,  to  Des 

Moines,  Iowa.  — "  Bill  and  Joe." , 40J 

Chapter  XLVII. 
Credit  Mobilier  Scandal. — Letters  from  Mr.    Garfield    and    Mr. 

Colfax 411 


CONTENTS.  Vll. 


Chapter  XLVII 


The  Currency  Question. — Death  of  Mr.  Garfield's  Son. — Election 

in  1876 418 

Chapter  XLIX. 
Mr.    Garfield    Nominated    for    President. — A   Visit    to    Him    at 

Mentor 425 

Chapter  L. 
The  Closing  Tragedy   433 


VI.     '  CONTENTS. 

Chapter  XXXVI. 
I    Visit    Columbus. — Mr.   Garfield   and   Myself  Visit   McArthur. 

The  Firing  on  Fort  Sumter 301 

Chapter  XXXVII. 
Buying  a  Newspaper.— The  War.— "  The  Brave  at  Home." 312 

Chapter  XXXVIII. 
Col.  Garfield's  Victory  over   Humphrey  Marshall. — Poem,  "God 
Save    Our    Land." — Emancipation    in    the    District    of     Co- 
lumbia       323 

Chapter  XXXIX. 
New    Year's,    1863. — Letter    from    Murfreesboro. — Rosecrans. — 

Death  of  Dr.  Bracket. — Ohio  Election 333 

Chapter  XL. 
Garfield  Made  a  Major  General. — Thanksgiving  Day  in  1863.  .  ,      343 

Chapter  XLI. 
New  Year's,  1864. — Draft  Law. — How  Mr.  Garfield  Prepared  the 

Act. — Campaign  of  1864 350 

Chapter  XLII. 
Mr.    Garfield   Visits   Indiana. — His  Speeches. — Election   of    Mr. 

Lincoln. — Letter  from  Mr.  Colfax 360 

Chapter  XLHI. 
I  Remove  to  Washington. — Reception   at   the    White    House  — 

Abraham  Lincoln. — Fall  of  Charleston. . . . .  . 371 

Chapter  XLIV. 
Death  of  President  Lincoln. — Subsequent  Events. — End   of  the 

War. — The  Great  Review 381 

Chapter   XLV. 

Letters  from  Mr.  Garfield  and  Mr.  Colfax. — Archibald  Beal 392 

Chapter  XLVI. 
Further  Letters  from  Mr.  Garfield. — My  Removal  in  1867,  to  Des 

Moines,  Iowa. — "  Bill  and  Joe." 40J 

Chapter  XLVII. 
Credit  Mobilier  Scandal. — Letters  from  Mr.    Garfield    and    Mr. 

Colfax 411 


CONTENTS.  Vll. 

Chapter  XLVII 
The  Currency  Question. — Death  of  Mr.  Garfield's  Son. — Election 

in  1876 418 

Chapter  XLIX. 
Mr.    Garfield    Nominated    for    President. — A  Visit    to    Him    at 

Mentor 425 

Chapter  L. 
The  Closing  Tragedy   433 


INTRODUCTION. 

No  attempt  has  been  made  in  the  following  pages  to 
give  the  biography  of  James  A.  Garfield.  It  is  quite 
probable  that  many  years  may  elapse  before  a  complete 
history  of  his  remarkable  life  shall  be  written.  The  nu- 
merous books,  of  more  or  less  merit,  which  were  hastily 
prepared  and  published  after  his  nomination  for  the  pres- 
idency, and  shortly  subsequent  to  his  death,  have  ren- 
dered the  public  familiar  with  the  principal  facts  of  his 
early  life,  his  career  as  a  soldier  and  a  statesman,  and 
his  assassination ;  yet  nearly  all  of  them  are  disfigured 
by  errors  and  fictitious  statements. 

It  has  been  the  aim  of  the  writer  to  be  entirely  ac- 
curate in  all  dates  and  incidents  given,  and  to  present 
his  illustrious  friend  as  the  true-hearted,  genial,  com- 
panionable Christian  gentleman,  who  always  won  the 
hearts  of  all  who  were  privileged  to  come  within  the 
sphere  of  his  personal  influence.  A  grander,  truer 
man  never  lived,  and  it  is  believed  that  the  copious  ex- 
tracts from  his  letters,  revealing  the  almost  infinite  ten- 
derness of  his  great  heart,  will  give  a  finer  appreciation 
of  his  imperial  soul,  than  anything  heretofore  given 
to  the  public. 

The  following  statement  from  Mr.  Garfield  himself, 


2  INTRODUCTION. 

concerning  certain  events  in  his  life,  of  an  earlier  date 
than  the  writer's  acquaintance  with  him,  was  prepared 
at  the  request  of  the  Trustees  of  Geauga  Seminary, 
and  first  published  in  the  "Union  Educational  Quar- 
terly "  at  Chester  : 

Hiram,  O.,  May  8,  1867. 
Board  of  Trustees,  Geauga  Seminary  : 

Gentlemen — Your  letter  of  the  4th  inst.,  wiih  its  accompanying 
blank  and  circular,  came  duly  to  hand.  I  enclose  a  contribution  for 
the  worthy  purpose  of  renovating  the  seminary  building.  I  regret  that 
I  am  not  able  to  make  a  larger  one. 

In  accordance  with  your  request,  I  make  a  brief  statement  of  my 
connection  with  Geauga  Seminary.  I  do  this  with  the  more  readiness, 
because  it  is  a  source  of  great  pleasure  to  me  to  recall  the  persons  and 
scenes  connected  with  the  beginning  of  student  life. 

In  the  winter  of  1848-9,  I  was  at  my  mother's  home  in  Orange, 
Cuyahoga  county,  Ohio,  suffering  from  a  three  months'  siege  of  fever 
and  ague,  which  I  had  brought  from  the  Ohio  Canal  the  preceding 
summer.  Samuel  D.  Bates,  now  a  distinguished  minister  of  the  gospel 
in  Marion,  Ohio,  was  that  winter  teaching  the  district  school  near  my 
mother's.  He  had  attended  the  Seminary  at  Chester,  and  urged  sev- 
eral of  the  young  men  in  the  neighborhood  to  return  there  with  him 
in  the  spring.  Being  yet  too  ill  to  return  to  my  plan  of  becoming  a 
sailor  on  the  Lake,  I  resolved  to  attend  school  one  term,  and  postpone 
sailing  until  autumn.  Accordingly  I  joined  two  other  young  men — Win, 
Boynton  (my  cousin),  and  Orrin  H.  Judd,  of  Orange — and,  with  the 
necessary  provisions  for  boarding  ourselves,  we  reached  Chester,  March 
6,  1849,  and  rented  a  room  in  an  unpainted  frame  house  nearly  west  of 
the  Seminary,  and  across  the  street  from  it. 

The  teachers  at  the  time  were  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Branch,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Coffin,  Mr.  Bigelow,  and  Miss  Abigail  Curtis.  I  bought  the  second 
algebra  I  ever  saw,  and  commenced  the  study  of  it  there.  Studied  also 
Natural  Philosophy  and  Grammar. 


INTRODUCTION.  3 

In  a  diary  which  I  kept  while  there  I  find  many  memories  of  that 
term,  as  well  as  subsequent  ones,  and,  among  other  things,  a  copy  of 
the  programmes  of  the  exhibition  at  the  end  of  the  two  spring  terms 
of  1849-50.  I  attended  there  in  the  fall  of  1849,  and  during  the  fol- 
lowing winter  I  taught  my  first  school.  Returned  to  the  Seminary  in 
the  spring  of  1850.  Spencer  J.  Fowler  was  then  principal,  and  John 
B.  Beech  was  his  chief  assistant. 

I  commenced  the  study  of  Latin,  and  finished  Algebra  and  Botany. 
At  the  close  of  the  spring  term  I-  made  my  first  public  speech.  It  was 
a  six  minutes'  oration  at  the  annual  exhibition.  My  diary  shows  the 
anxiety  and  solicitude  through  which  I  passed  in  its  preparation  and 
delivery. 

During  the  vacation  of  1850  I  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade  in 
Chester.  Besides  other  things,  I  helped  to  build  a  two-story  house  on 
the  east  side  of  the  road,  a  little  way  south  of  the  Seminary  grounds. 
Attended  school  during  the  fall  term  of  1850,  and  commenced  the  study 
of  Greek.  I  worked  mornings,  evenings  and  Saturdays  at  my  trade, 
and  thus  paid  my  way.  After  the  first  term  at  Chester,  I  never  received 
any  pecuniary  assistance.  The  cost  of  living,  however,  was  much  less 
than  it  is  now.  In  my  second  term  at  Chester  I  had  board,  room  and 
washing  at  Heman  Woodworth's  at  one  dollar  and  six  cents  per  week. 

In  185 1  I  commenced  attending  the  institution  at  this  place. 
Studied  and  taught  here  until  1854,  when  I  entered  Williams  College, 
Massachusetts,  and  graduated  in  1856. 

I  remember  with  great  satisfaction  the  work  which  was  accom- 
plished for  me  at  Chester.  It  marked  the  most  decisive  change  in  my  life. 
While  there  I  formed  a  definite  purpose  and  plan  to  complete  a  col- 
lege course.  It  is  a  great  point  gained,  when  a  young  man  makes  up  his 
mind  to  devote  several  years  to  the  accomplishment  of  a  definite  work. 
With  the  educational  facilities  now  afforded  in  our  country,  no  young 
man  who  has  good  health,  and  is  master  of  his  own  actions,  can  be  ex- 
cused for  not  obtaining  a  good  education.  Poverty  is  very  inconvenient, 
but  it  is  a  fine  spur  to  activity,  and  may  be  made  a  rich  blessing. 


4  INTRODUCTION. 

I  hope  the  Seminary  at  Chester  may  long  be  a  blessing  to  young 
men  and  women  who  attend  it.  Very  respectfully, 

James  A.  Garfield. 

Orrin  H.  Judd,  Esq.,  who  is  mentioned  above,  re- 
sides (1886)   at    Fairfield,    Nebraska;    while   the    Mr. 
Coffin  who  was  one   of  the  teachers,   is   Hon.  L.   S. 
Coffin,    of  the    Board    of   Railroad  Commissioners  of 
Iowa. 


I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  George  Woodward,  of  Cleve- 
land, Ohio,  for  the  following  facts  in  reference  to  Mr. 
Garfield's  work  during  the  summer  of  185 1,  imme- 
diately prior  to  the  beginning  of  my  acquaintance. 
Mr.  Woodward  says : 

My  first  acquaintance  with  James  A.  Garfield  was  in  the  winter  of 
1850-51.  He  was  teaching  a  district  school  at  the  center  of  Warrens- 
ville,  Cuyahoga  county,  Ohio. 

In  June  he  came  to  Chagrin  Falls,  to  work  for  George  Woodward 
and  J.  Hubbell,  who  were  carrying  on  building  at  that  time  under  the 
firm  name  of  "  Woodward  and  Hubbell."  He  commenced  June  16, 
1851,  and  worked  until  the  20th  of  August,  we  paying  him  $18,  and 
board,  per  month.  He  told  me  that  he  had  been  attending  school  at 
Chester  Cross  Roads,  for  some  time",  and  that  all  his  spare  time  from 
school  he  had  worked  at  the  carpenter  and  joiner  trade.  We  found 
him  a  very  good  hand  for  the  price  ;  full  as  good  as  the  majority  even 
now.  He  was  strong  and  ready  to  take  hold  of  anything  that  came  to 
him,  and  ever  anxious  to  learn  all  he  could  of  the  trade,  although  he 
told  me  he  did  not  expect  to  follow  the  business,  and  perhaps  that 
would  be  the  last  summer  he  would  work  at  it.  He  boarded  most  of 
the  time  in  my  family  and  we  became  very  much  attached  to  him,  and 
were  warm  friends  ever  afterwards. 


INTRODUCTION.  5 

■  The  large  timbers  for  the  Disciples'  Church  at  Chagrin  Falls  being 
on  the  ground  July  4,  1851,  Garfield,  Hubbell  and  myself  concluded 
not  to  celebrate,  but  to  commence  work  on  that  building.  So, 
Hubbell  began  to  hew  the  rough  oft,  and  I  began  to  scratch  the  timber, 
while  Garfield  started  the  two-inch  auger,  but  by  the  time  he  had  made 
one  or  two  mortises  for  the  northeast  corner  of  the  house,  so  that  it 
could  be  said  he  had  made  the  first  mortise  and  that  in  the  chief  cor- 
ner, our  zeal  for  labor  had  gone  down  and  our  patriotism  had  obtained 
the  ascendency ;  so  we  put  up  our  tools,  went  home,  put  on  our  soft 
clothes  and  started  for  the  grove  about  one  and  a  half  miles  east  of  the 
village,  where  there  was  a  picnic  and  where  our  families,  as  well  as  many 
people  from  the  village,  had  preceded  us.  There  we  spent  the  rest  of 
that  day  very  pleasantly. 

That  summer  we  built  a  dwelling-house  four  miles  east  of  Chagrin 
Falls,  in  the  town  of  Russell,  the  south  part  of  the  Soule  settlement, 
for  William  A.  Lilly.  Hubbell,  Garfield  and  others  put  up  the  frame; 
then  I  went  out  and  made  the  drawings  for  the  cornice,  and  Garfield 
and  I  got  it  all  out  and  put  it  on ;  about  two  hundred  feet.  When  it  is 
remembered  that  in  those  days  there  were  no  planing  mills  in  that 
country,  and  that  all  the  lumber  and  mouldings  had  to  be  worked  by 
hand,  it  will  be  seen  that  we  had  no  small  job  before  us.  After  the 
roof  was  on,  I  went  back  to  the  Falls,  while  Hubbell,  Garfield  and 
others  went  on  with  the  work. 

As  already  stated,  Garfield  worked  until  August  20th.  Hubbell 
paid  him  the  balance  due  him,  which  was  fifteen  dollars ;  he  put  it  in 
his  memorandum  book,  and  that  into  his  coat  pocket,  and  throwing  his 
coat  over  his  arm,  he  bade  farewell  to  jack-plane  and  hammer  and 
started  for  home  to  make  ready  to  go  into  the  Hiram  Institute.  But 
before  he  had  gone  more  than  half  way  to  the  Falls,  he  discovered  that 
he  had  lost  his  pocket-book  and  all  his  money.  I  can  imagine  that  he 
felt  rather  blue  when  he  discovered  his  loss,  but,  after  walking  back  a 
short  distance,  he  met  Dr.  Bliss  and  asked  him  if  he  had  found  a  cer- 
tain book,  describing  it.  The  Doctor  had  found  it,  and  at  once  re- 
turned it  to  him,  and  he  went  on  his  way  rejoicing. 


6  INTRODUCTION. 

The  next  I  heard  of  him,  he  was  at  the  Eclectic  Institute  at  Hiram, 
ringing  the  bell  for  his  tuition. 

In  i860  he  preached  for  the  Disciple  Church  in  Cleveland,  on  the 
West  side,  one-half  of  his  time.  I  was  living  there  at  the  time,  and  I 
remember  the  subject  of  one  of  his  sermons.  His  text  was  the  twelfth 
verse  of  the  second  chapter  of  Exodus,  where  it  is  said  of  Moses :  "  He 
looked  this  way  and  that  way,  and  when  he  saw  that  there  was  no  man, 
he  slew  the  Egyptian  and  hid  him  in  the  sand."  He  showed  from  this 
how  many,  in  their  dealings  with  one  another,  now  do  the  same  thing 
in  various  ways. 

The  last  time  I  met  him  was  at  Wauseon,  Fulton  County,  Ohio, 
where  I  was  then  living.  I  think  it  was  in  the  fall  of  1879.  He  was 
there  to  make  a  speech  on  the  subject  of  Finance.  In  the  evening, 
when  many  of  his  friends  were  gathered  for  a  visit,  he  told  them  that 
he  and  I  had  worked  many  days  at  the  same  bench,  and  that  his  knowl- 
edge of  the  use  of  tools  had  often  been  of  great  service  to  him. 


The  following  summary  of  the  principal  events  in 
the  life  of  Mr.  Garfield  will  serve  to  correct  many- 
errors  : 

James  A.  Garfield,  born  Nov.  19,  1831,  at  Orange,  Cuyahoga 
county,  Ohio. 

Driver  on  Ohio  Canal,  summer  of  1848. 

Entered  Geauga  Seminary,  at  Chester,  March  6,  1849.  Attended 
spring  and  fall  terms. 

Taught  his  first  school,  in  winter  of  1849-50. 

At  Geauga  Seminary,  spring  and  fall  of  1850.     In  all  four  terms. 

Taught  school  at  Warrensville,  Cuyahoga  county,  Ohio,  winter  of 
1850-51. 

Entered  "Eclectic  Institute,"  at  Hiram,  August  25,  1851.  Rung 
the  bell  for  tuition  this  term  only. 

Taught  a  second  term  at  Warrensville,  winter  of  1851-2. 


INTRODUCTION.  J 

Teacher  and  student  at  the  "  Eclectic  Institute,"  spring  and  fall  of 
1852,  all  of  1853,  and  spring  of  1854. 

Worked  at  carpentry  for  A.  S.  Kilby,  at  Hiram,  during  July  and 
August,  1852,  and  at  no  other  time. 

Reached  New  York  City  on  his  way  to  Williams  College,  July  6, 

1854. 

Reached  Williams  College  and  passed  examination,  July  11,  1854. 

Graduated  from  Williams  College,  August  6,  1856. 

Professor  and  President  of  "  Eclectic  Institute,"  subsequently 
"  Hiram  College,"  from  1856  to  1861. 

Married  November  io,  1858. 

Elected  to  Ohio  Senate,  from  Portage  and  Summit  counties,  Octo- 
ber, 1859. 

Took  his  seat  in  Ohio  Senate,  January,  i860.     Youngest  member. 

Second  session  of  his  Senatorial  term  begun  in  January,  1861. 

Entered  the  army  in  1861. 

Battle  of  Prestonburg,  January  10,  1862,  and  commissioned  Briga- 
dier General.  , 

Elected  to  Congress,  October,  1862. 

Battle  of  Chickamauga,  Sept.  18,  1863,  and  commissioned  Major 
General. 

Entered  Congress  in  December,  1863.  Served  continuously  until 
1880. 

Elected  United  States  Senator  by  the  Legislature  of  Ohio,  Jan- 
uary, 1880. 

Nominated  for  President,  at  Chicago,  June  8,  1880. 

Elected  President  of  the  United  States,  November  2,  1880. 

Inaugurated,  March  4,  1S81. 

Shot,  at  Washington,  July  2,  18S1. 

Died,  at  Elberon,  September  19,  1S81. 


REMINISCENCES     OF    JAMES     A. 
GARFIELD. 


CHAPTER  I. 

INTRODUCTORY    AND    AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL. 

In.  the  spring  of  1880  there  was  a  great  multitude 
of  reasonably  intelligent  American  citizens  who  had 
never  heard  of  James  A.  Garfield,  or  if  they  had  heard 
of  him,  had  not  been  sufficiently  interested  to  remem- 
"ber  his  name.  It  is  true,  that,  for  many  years,  he  had 
been  a  member  of  the  lower  house  of  Congress,  and 
those  familiar  with  that  important  body  of  law-makers 
were  acquainted  with  the  fact  that  he  had  been  very 
active  and  useful  in  shaping  national  legislation.  But 
when  in  June  of  that  year  the  telegraph  flashed  the 
news  not  only  over  continents  but  around  the  world  that 
he  had  been  named  by  the  dominant  political  party  as 
its  candidate  for  the  Presidency,  men  looked  in  Apple- 
ton's  Cyclopedia  in  vain  to  find  even  his  name.  The 
great  public  waited  eagerly  for  particulars  concern- 
ing the  history  of  one  now  presented  so  prominently 
before  them.      Biographies  of  more  or  less  merit  were 


IO  REMINISCENCES    OF 

hurriedly  prepared  and  eagerly  purchased  and  read; 
incidents  true  and  mythical  were  alike  sown  broadcast, 
and  within  a  few  months  everybody  was  familiar  with 
the  outlines  of  his  remarakable  history. 

When,  a  year  later,  he  fell  in  his  glorious  prime,  by 
the  merciless  hand  of  the  assassin,  the  world  watched 
by  his  dying  couch  for  eighty  days,  until  his  great  heart 
grew  still,  and  his  mangled  body  was  borne  by  a  sor- 
rowing nation  from  the  old  cottage  by  the  sea  to  his 
old  home  by  blue  Erie,  and  laid  to  rest  among  the 
people  who  for  twenty  years  had  honored  him  as  their 
chosen  son. 

As  one  who  for  thirty  years  had  known  and  loved 
him ;  who  had  watched  his  successive  steps,  from  the 
poor  student,  dependent  upon  his  own  exertions  for 
education,  to  his  triumphant  election  as  chief  ruler  of 
a  nation  of  fifty  millions  of  freemen  ;  who  had  rejoiced 
at  his  every  triumph  as  that  of  a  brother,  and  who 
sorrowed  over  his  untimely  death  as  those  knowing  him 
less  intimately  could  not  sorrow,  it  is  with  hesitation 
that  I  have  consented  to  write  the  story  of  our  early 
association  and  intimacy,  and  our  subsequent  life-long 
friendship. 

Among  my  earliest  recollections  is  the  political  cam- 
paign of  1840.  By  the  side  of  a  rude  school-house  in 
Northern  Ohio,  my  brother  and  myself  built  a  log 
cabin  in  honor  of  the  hero  of  Tippecanoe,  and  we 
shouted  ourselves  hoarse  in  aid  of  his  election.  It  may 
be  inferred  that  we  were  Whigs,  as  were  the  great  ma- 
jority of  the  people  of  not  only  the  State,  but  of  the 
Union,  as  was  ascertained  when  the  votes  were  counted 
that  autumn,  and  it  was  established  that 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  II 

"  Matty  Van  "  was 
"  A  used  up  man." 

Our  political  duties  did  not  interfere  seriously  with 
our  lessons.  We  read  in  the  old  English  Reader  and 
the  Testament,  and  learned  to  spell  from  Webster's 
Elementary  Spelling  Book.  Some  of  the  older  scholars 
studied  Kirkham's  Grammar,  and  Olney's  Geography 
and  Atlas.  There  were  twenty-six  States  ;  most  of  the 
country  west  of  the  Mississippi  was  uninhabited,  and 
supposed  to  be  a  part  of  the  Great  American  Desert. 
The  great  railroads  which  span  the  continent  were  far 
in  the  future.  Morse  was  experimenting  to  perfect  his 
wild  dream  of  sending  news  by  electricity.  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  was  considerably  larger  than  Chicago,  the  popu- 
lation of  the  latter  city  being  less  than  five  thousand. 
Texas  was  a  foreign  nation,  and  California  a  Mexican 
province.  Howe  had  not  perfected  his  sewing- 
machine.  The  hum  of  the  spinning-wheel  was 
heard  in  almost  every  home,  and  "swift  as  the 
weaver's  shuttle"  was  a  comparison  which  every  child 
could  appreciate. 

My  father  was  a  carpenter,  and  worked  at  his  trade 
usually  for  one  dollar  per  day.  By  steady  and  persist- 
ent industry,  supplemented  by  the  management  of  our 
capable  mother,  the  family  was  comfortably  maintained, 
but  their  united  efforts  were  not  sufficient  to  make  them 
the  owners  of  a  home.  We  were  renters,  with  no  fixed 
abiding  place,  and  I  think  no  two  of  the  six  children 
were  born  under  the  same  roof.  But  we  were  kept  at 
school,  and  no  effort  spared  by  either  father  or  mother 
to  give  us  a  good  education.  Thus  the  months  passed 
until  my  fifteenth  year.  I  was  a  pale,  bashful  boy,  with 
a  prophecy  hanging  over  me  that  I  would  never  live  to 


I2  REMINISCENCES    OF 

manhood.      But  I  was  an  inveterate  skeptic  concerning 
that  as  well  as  many  other  things. 

It  is  probably  well  known  to  most  of  my  readers 
that  the  Western  Reserve  in  Ohio  was  the  cradle  of  the 
religious  movement  which  its  adherents  have  been  ac- 
customed to  designate  as  the  "  Reformation,"  and  its 
enemies  have  stigmatized  as  "  Campbellism."  One  of 
the  first  churches  organized  was  at  Chardon,  Geauga 
County,  where  I  was  born,  and  both  my  father  and 
mother  were  among  its  members  from  a  period  before 
my  recollection. 

In  those  early  days  it  was  customary  for  every  mem- 
ber to  be  able  to  give  a  reason  for  his  faith,  and  almost 
every  one  carried  with  him  a  copy  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. The  constant  study  of  the  Scriptures  resulted 
in  a  familiarity  with  the  sacred  volume  which  in  these 
times  would  be  deemed  remarkable  indeed.  With  the 
constant  misunderstanding,  not  to  say  misrepresenta- 
tion, to  which  the  new  movement  was  subject,  almost 
every  member  became  of  necessity  a  champion,  and 
armed  with  "the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  word 
of  God,"  never  shunned  an  encounter  with  an  oppo- 
nent. Those  who  came  into  the  church  under  such 
circumstances,  did  so  from  earnest  conviction,  and  with 
so  clear  a  comprehension  of  the  principles  they  accepted 
as  God's  eternal  truth,  that  it  was  very  rare  indeed  that 
they  ever  renounced  their  faith.  They  might  be  incon- 
sistent in  their  conduct,  and  lack  the  all-important  ele- 
ments of  a  true  Christian  character,  but  even  such  would 
stoutly  maintain  the  theoretical  principles  which  their 
daily  life  tended  to  dishonor. 

Some  philosopher  has  said,  "Beware  of  the  man  of 
one  book,"  and  the  power  of  many  of  the  old  pioneers 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  1 3 

in  the  movement  to  restore  primitive  Christianity  gives 
testimony  to  the  wisdom  of  his  caution.  Some  of  them 
were  uneducated  in  the  learning  of  theological  semina- 
ries ;  but  they  drew  their  inspiration  fresh  from  the 
fountain  of  God's  word.  No  doubt  but  some  of  their 
interpretations  would  not  stand  the  fierce  light  of  mod- 
ern criticism,  but  they  were  intensely  in  earnest,  and 
taught  a  gospel  which  even  children  could  understand. 

At  the  Yearly  Meeting — that  in  Geauga  county  was 
always  held  in  June — there  would  be  gathered  from  all 
the  churches  a  great  multitude  who  came  together  to 
renew  their  acquaintance,  and  to  unite,  as  did  the  Israel- 
ites at  their  convocations  at  Jerusalem,  in  the  worship 
of  Jehovah  ;  and  I  am  sure  no  one  who  ever  attended 
any  of  these  great  annual  gatherings  will  forget  the  oc- 
casion. Sometimes  they  were  held  in  a  grove,  where 
rude  seats  had  been  provided  for  the  hearers,  and  a 
rough  stand  for  the  preacher ;  at  other  times  the  huge 
tent  was  pitched  in  some  grove,  and  the  meeting  was 
under  its  arching  roof.  These  great  meetings  always 
commenced  on  Friday  afternoon,  and  were  continued 
until  Monday.  Unbounded  hospitality  was  the  rule 
among  the  brethren  where  the  meetings  were  held,  and 
as  the  place  of  meeting  was  changed  each  year  from  one 
township  to  another,  there  grew  up  an  intimate  acquaint- 
ance among  the  members  of  the  several  churches  which 
could  have  been  created  by  no  other  means. 

At  these  meetings  the  ablest  preachers  were  secured 
to  conduct  the  exercises.  Not  unfrequently  Alexan- 
der Campbell  himself  delivered  the  great  sermon  on 
Sunday  morning.  Such  men  as  David  S.  Burnet,  Wm. 
Hayden,  Harrison  Jones,  A.  B.  Green,  Jasper  Moss, 
Wm.  Collins,  A.    S.    Hayden,   Dexter  Otis,  and  many 


14 


REMINISCENCES    OF 


others  equally  earnest  if  not  so  well  known,  told  the 
story  of  the  Christ  of  Calvary  to  the  listening  multi- 
tudes in  words  of  burning  eloquence  and  tender  pathos, 
and  exhorted  men  to  become  his  disciples.  They  urged 
upon  the  people  the  acceptance  of  no  creed  but  the 
New  Testament;  they  presented  the  crucified  Re- 
deemer as  a  personal  friend  of  the  race  he  came  to  save, 
and  taught  that  faith  in  him,  and  a  prompt  and  willing 
obedience  to  his  commandments,  as  the  same  became 
known  to  those  who  would  become  Christians,  were 
the  sum  of  human  duty.  They  showed  so  clearly,  that 
no  hearer  could  fail  to  perceive,  the  phenomenal  non- 
sense of  requiring  the  child,  whose  tender  heart  was 
touched  by  the  story  of  Jesus,  to  stand  before  a  com- 
mittee of  theologians  and  answer  questions  as  to  his 
opinion  on  the  abstruse  distinctions  of  metaphysicians, 
the  deep  and  awful  mysteries  hid  in  the  mind  of  God 
before  the  morning  stars  sang  together  over  a  new  born 
world, — as  preliminary  to  his  coming  into  the  church — 
the  school  of  Christ,  the  great  teacher.  They  showed 
that  if  any  such  examination  should  ever  become 
proper,  it  would  only  be  before  a  committee  of  angels, 
long  after  the  resurrection,  when  the  disciple  had  learned 
from  the  Master,  beside  the  great  white  throne,  the  unre- 
vealed  motives  and  mysteries  of  God's  eternal  purposes. 
To  be  Christ's  loyal  and  willing  disciple— often 
stumbling,  perhaps — always  ignorant,  but  anxious  to 
know  and  do  his  will— teachable,  true,  honest  and  lov- 
ing both  toward  God  and  man— this  they  told  us  was 
our  duty,  and  they  showed  the  promise  of  his  gracious 
acceptance,  signed  by  his  own  hand  in  his  own  holy 
word,  as  our  assurance  of  eternal  life  and  happiness, 
"  beyond  the  smiling  and  the  weeping"  of  this  world. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  1 5 

At  the  June  meeting,  before  I  was  fifteen,  I  accepted 
the  invitation  to  become  a  Disciple  of  Christ,  and  was 
buried  with  him  in  baptism  in  a  sparkling  stream,  on 
whose  grassy  banks  had  gathered  the  people  as  the 
multitude  gathered  on  the  banks  of  the  Jordan  eighteen 
centuries  before,  when  the  Master  went  down  into  the 
water  and  was  baptized. 


CHAPTER  II. 

REMOVAL      TO      GRAND       RAPIDS,       MICH.  -     ''OEM      BY      MY 
MOTHER. FRANKLIN     EVERETT. 

The  year  1845  will  long  be  remembered  by  the  inhab- 
itants of  Northern  Ohio,  on  account  of  the  protracted 
drouth  by  which  the  country  was  afflicted.  The  hot  sum- 
mer sun  scorched  the  meadows  and  no  rain  came  to  re- 
vive the  dying  vegetation.  The  grass  withered  and 
dried  up  from  the  roots,  and  crops  of  every  description 
proved  almost  an  entire  failure.  Business  was  almost 
suspended,  and  there  was  little  work  for  those  depend- 
ent upon  their  daily  labor  for  bread  for  their  families. 

My  father's  wealth  consisted  chiefly  of  his  four  sons 
and  two  daughters.  That  summer  he  determined  to 
"go  west,"  and  early  in  September,  having  provided 
as  means  of  transportation,  a  yoke  of  oxen  and  a 
heavy  wagon,  he  fitted  out  his  "prairie  schooner"  in 
conventional  style,  placed  on  board  his  wife  and 
younger  children,  while  we  older  ones  followed  with  a 
small  drove  of  cattle,  and,  thus  equipped,  started  on  a 
journey  of  some  three  hundred  miles  to  Grand  Rapids, 
Mich.  We  traveled  some  ten  or  twelve  miles  a  day, 
and  at  night  stopped  at  some  farmhouse  where  we 
found  shelter  and  rest.  We  children  enjoyed  it 
greatly ;  more,  I  fear,  now  looking  back  over  nearly 
forty  years,  than  did  our  tired  father  and  mother.     We 

halted  a  few  days  at  the  home  of  my  father's  father,  a 

16 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  IJ 

few  miles  west  of  Toledo,  and  then  pushed  on  to  our 
destination,  where  we  arrived  November  8,   1845. 

Grand  Rapids  was  then  a  village  of  twelve  hundred 
inhabitants.  It  lies  some  thirty  miles  east  of  Lake 
Michigan,  on  the  Grand  River,  and  is  now  the  second 
city  in  Michigan.  Large  numbers  of  Indians  then 
lived  in  the  ,  cinity.  The  Michigan  Central  railroad 
reached  as  far  west  as  Battle  Creek,  some  twenty  miles 
distant,  with  which  daily  communication  was  main- 
tained by  a  lumbering  stage-coach.  One  or  two  small 
steamboats  also  made  regular  trips  to  and  from  Grand 
Haven.  Once  a  year  the  agent  of  the  United  States 
distributed  an  annuity  of  some  twenty  or  thirty  dollars 
to  each  of  the  twelve  hundred  Indians,  payable  always 
in  bright  new  half  dollars. 

Mr.  A.  B.  Turner  was  editor,  compositor,  proof 
reader,  pressman,  and  proprietor  of  the  Grand  River 
Eagle,  published  weekly  ;  it  has  been  a  daily  for  the 
last  thirty  years,  and  Mr.  Turner  does  not  now  print  it 
on  a  Washington  hand  press,  and  I  am  no  longer  rol- 
ler-boy. There  were  a  few  mills  and  manufactories 
along  Canal  street ;  a  few  stores  and  groceries  on  Mon- 
roe street;  a  building  known  as  the  "Academy,"  a 
few  churches — and  an  earnest  wide-awake,  ambitious 
population.  With  a  magnificent  waterpower,  greater 
than  any  in  New  England,  and  with  such  a  start,  it  was 
easy  to  foresee  its  manifest  destiny. 

As  I  have  said,  we  reached  the  village  on  the  8th  of 
November.  We  were  strangers  in  a  strange  land.  The 
journey  had  exhausted  the  family  purse,  but  the  sale 
of  the  oxen  and  what  stock  remained  unsold  supplied 
our  present  needs.  How  well  I  remember  that  first 
winter !  We  were  poor !  not  that  squalid  poverty  that 


1 8  REMINISCENCES    OF 

is  so  hopeless,  but  honorably  poor.  Work  was  scarce, 
and  the  price  of  labor  very  low.  Father  could  not  ob- 
tain work  at  his  trade,  but  went  into  the  country  and  cut 
and  split  rails,  and  part  of  the  time  sawed  wood  in  the 
town.  Mother  gathered  a  few  children  into  a  select 
school,  kept  a  few  boarders,  worked  early  and  late, 
and  hoped  bravely  on  !  They  would  have  scorned  to 
accept  charity — I  believe  they  would  have  starved 
rather  than  be  dependent.  Thank  God  !  they  lived  to 
earn  a  reasonable  competence  and  enjoy  life  to  a  good 
old  age,  and  now — their  life  work  done — they  sleep 
side  by  side  in  Woodland  Cemetery,  at  Des  Moines, 
Iowa. 

While  the  principal  religious  denominations  had 
each  a  church  at  Grand  Rapids,  there  was  no  organiza- 
tion of  the  Disciples  of  Christ,  and  I  do  not  remember 
that  we  learned  for  many  years  of  a  single  member 
outside  our  own  family.  Under  such  circumstances 
my  mother  wrote  the  following  lines,  in  one  of  her  many 
seasons  of  loneliness : 

THE  HOME  I  LEFT. 

I  could  view  from  that  spot  the  broad  bosom  of  Erie, 
Now  crested  with  billows,  now  tranquil  and  blue, 

So  beautiful,  too,  one  would  seldom  grow  weary ; 
With  feelings  of  sadness  I  bade  it  adieu. 

How  oft  have  I  seen  on  that  bright  world  of  water, 
The  white  spreading  canvas  inviting  the  breeze, 

And  oft  have  I  witnessed  the  dreadful  commotion 
The  storm-king  can  raise  on  the  billowy  seas. 

The  lonely  retreat  in  that  dear  little  wild-wood, 

Its  moss-covered  rock  forming  many  a  cell, 
Endeared  to  my  children  by  sports  of  their  childhood, 

With  regret  I  remember  the  final  farewell. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  IO, 

The  path  that  led  forth  from  my  own  humble  dwelling, 
On  the  right  and  the  left  brightly  bordered  with  flowers, 

Those  beautiful  emblems  of  life's  fleeting  summer, 
How  sweet  their  perfume  in  the  soft. twilight  hours. 

The  clustering  vines  that  crept  over  my  casement 
Seemed  gifted  with  life  in  the  wind's  gentle  swell, 

And  sunbeams  were  broken  to  glittering  diamonds, 
As  through  the  bright  foliage  they  tremblingly  fell. 

'T  was  a  dearly  loved  spot,  and  I  left  it  in  sadness, 
For  this  towering  forest,  these  wilds  of  the  West ; 

Ah!  would  I  could  feel  one  sensation  of  gladness, 
And  hush  all  these  bright  recollections  to  rest. 

If  I  plant  the  same  flowers  in  this  dark  land  of  strangers, 
And  watch  their  bright  leaves,  as  in  beauty  they  bloom, 

They  will  constantly  whisper  of  fond  hopes  departed, 
And  strew  my  lone  pathway  with  visions  of  gloom. 

But  short  is  the  journey,  and  though  it  is  lonely, 

There  is  one  cherished  treasure  in  kindness  here  given — 

The  gospel  of  Christ — and  may  this,  and  this  only, 

Be  my  guide  through  the  world  and  my  passport  to  heaven. 

I  shall  not  weary  the  reader  with  details  of  the  next 
six  years.  A  portion  of  the  time  was  spent  attending 
the  Grand  Rapids  Academy,  an  institution  of  learning,, 
more  than  usually  fortunate  in  the  marked  ability  of  its 
principal,  Franklin  Everett,  A.  M.  He  was  from  New 
England,  a  graduate  of  what  is  now  Colby  University, 
and  a  man  of  fine  feeling ;  a  poet  of  far  more  than  or- 
dinary merit,  and  I  hazard  nothing  in  saying  that  few 
teachers  excelled  him  in  awakening  every  latent  power 
in  his  students.  For  perhaps  thirty  years  he  devoted 
his  best  efforts  to  the  education  of  the  young  men  and 
women  of  that  city,  and  to  him  and  his  excellent  wife, 
they  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  which  some  of  them  if 
they  can  never  repay,  at  least  will  never  forget.     He  is 


20  REMINISCENCES    OF 

still  living,  though  past  his  threescore  and  ten, 
honored  and  respected  by  all  who  appreciate  true 
worth. 

I  can  not  forbear  giving  the  reader  the  following 
touching  poem,  written  by  him  on  the  death  of  his 
only  son,  a  child  of  his  old  age : 

BURIED  HOPES. 

A  year  its  onward  course  has  sped — 

Of  mingled  pain  and  joy, 
Since  first  with  swelling  heart  I  hailed 

My  beauteous  angel  boy — 
Long  hoped  for  darling  boy. 

With  eye  and  soul  to  heaven  upraised, 

I  clasped  him  to  my  breast ; 
And  reverent  kissed  the  unconscious  one, 

With  hope  serenely  blessed — 
O  God  !  how  doubly  blessed  ! 

As  nestling  on  his  cot  he  lay, 

Or  in  his  mother's  arms, 
From  day  to  day,  from  week  to  week, 

I  watched  his  budding  charms — 
To  me  how  bright  those  charms. 

The  "child  of  hope,"  he  came  to  me, 

Bright  as  the  angels  are  ; 
The  light  of  heaven  was  in  his  eye, 

His  form  as  angel  fair — 
For  earth  too  bright  and  fair. 

•  How  sweetly  clustered  round  my  son 

Fond  thoughts  of  future  years  ; 
My  star  of  hope  shone  clear  and  bright 

And  high  in  heaven  appears — 
How  bright  such  star  appears. 

But  hope  has  died,  my  star  has  gone, 
And  vanished  from  my  sight  ; 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  21 

The  earth  is  dark,  the  heavens  are  black, 

With  deepest  shades  of  night — 
0  God  !  how  deep  that  night ! 

Nine  times  the  moon  had  gone  her  round, 

Since  heaven  thus  on  me    smiled, 
And  then  the  unrelenting  came 

And  snatched  from  me  my  child 

Spared  not  my  angel  child. 

The  flowers  are  budding  on  his  grave, 

And  opening  in  their  bloom, 
But  are  not  spring  and  vernal  flowers 

A  mockery  of  its  gloom  ? — 

0  death !  thou  dwell'st  in  gloom. 

Then  farewell,  hope :   the  sky  was  bright, 

While  beaming  on  my  son — 
When  love  and  hope  were  circling  round 

My  dear,  my  darling  one — 
Dead,  dead,  that  darling  one. 

'T  is  sad  to  think  while  living  on, 

That  love  has  lost  its  spell ; 
That  time  has  so  despoiled  the  earth, 

As  to  leave  no  fond  farewell — 
No  lingering,  fond  farwell. 

1  look  within  my  inmost  soul — 
That  soul  is  burned  and  sere; 

I  look  abroad  upon  the  world, 

'T  is  desolation  drear — 
My  soul,  my  life,  how  drear! 

O  what  is  life  since  hope  is  not! 

And  what  are  passing  years  ! 
The  present  blank,  the  future  dark, 

The  past  a  vale  of  tears — 
No  solace  even  in  tears. 

In  the  fall  of  1847,  I  commenced  teaching  school, 
in  a  small  country  district,  at  ten  dollars  per  month  of 
twenty-six   days,    boarding  around   the   district.      The 


22  REMINISCENCES    OF 

three  succeeding  winters  were  similarly  employed, 
though  at  a  little  advance  of  salary.  One  or  two  sum- 
mers I  worked  with  father  at  carpenter  work. 

In  the  spring  of  185 1,  death  first  invaded  our 
household.  My  oldest  sister,  Ellen,  then  just  past  her 
sixteenth  birthday,  after  a  brief  illness,  was  called 
away  from  the  labors  and  sorrows  of    earth. 

Mr.  Lewis  J.  Bates,  of  Grand  Rapids,  who  was  for 
many  years  a  contributor  to  the  leading  magazines  of 
the  day,  wrote  the  following  lines  to  her  memory  : 

So  good,  so  young,  so  beautiful,  and  yet  so  early  dead ! 

She  faded  like  the  summer  rose,  when  summer  birds  have  fled, 

When  youth  and  love  and  joy  were  hers,  and  life  had  yet  to  borrow 

From  blighted  hopes  and  withered  joys  the  bitterness  of  sorrow  ; 

When  love  and  friendship  both  were  true,  and  neither  yet  had  known 

To  mask  the  coldness  of  the  heart  in  tenderness  of  tone ; 

When  charity,  tho'  oft  invoked,  was  never  asked  in  vain, 

And  sympathy  could  feel  the  blow  that  gave  another  pain; 

When  gentleness  and  mirth  combined  to  wing  the  laughing  hours, 

And  hope  was  to  the  buoyant  heart  like  rain  to  drooping  flowers, 

And  pleasure  on  his  frolic  wing  had  filled  her  heart  with  gladness, 

Save  when  another's  sorrow  caused  a  momentary  sadness; 

When  learning  and  when  wit  combined  with  scientific  lore 

To  spread  before  her  glowing  mind  their  rich  and  varied  store ; 

And  innocence  and  artlessness  left  naught  to  be  forgiven, 

Too  pure  for  such  a  place  as  earth,  she  sought  a  home  in  heaven. 

I  was  then  in  my  twenty-first  year,  and  had  decided 
with  the  consent  of  my  father  and  mother,  to  go  to 
some  of  the  older  states  and  enter  some  school  of  a 
higher  grade  than  any  I  had  attended,  with  the  ulti- 
mate intention  of  entering  some  college  or  university. 
I  had  a  pretty  fair  knowledge  of  mathematics,  the  Latin 
Grammar  and  Reader,  and  had  read  Caesar ;  had  spent 
some  time  in  the  study  of  the  Natural  Sciences, 
and  under   the    excellent  drill    of  Prof.    Everett,   had 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  23 

acquired  a  pretty  critical  knowledge  of  all  the 
ordinary  English  branches.  I  had  a  little  practical 
knowledge  of  Civil  Engineering,  from  a  few  months' 
employment  with  W.  L.  Coffinberry,  who  was,  for 
many  years,  the  very  excellent  City  Engineer  of  Grand 
Rapids. 

The  year  previous,  the  General  Assembly  of  Ohio, 
had  granted  a  special  charter  to  Carnot  Mason,  Zeb 
Rudolph,  Isaac  Errett,  Wm.  Hayden,  J.  A.  Ford,  A. 
S.  Hayden  and  others,  for  an  institution  of  learning,  to 
be  known  as  the  "  Western  Reserve  Eclectic  Insti- 
tute," to  be  located  in  the  township  of  Hiram,  in  Port- 
age county,  Ohio,  and  under  this  charter,  during  the 
summer  of  1850,  a  building  had  been  erected  and  the 
school  opened,  the  first  session  beginning  November 
2j,  1850.  Hiram  was  some  twenty  miles  south  of  our 
old  home  in  Ohio,  and  it  was  finally  decided  that  I 
should  go  there  to  further  prosecute  my  studies.  This 
decision  was  reached  during  the  spring  of  185 1,  but 
my  earnings  of  the  winter  had  been  expended  in  the 
settlement  of  back  tuition,  etc.,  and  therefore,  it  was 
necessary  to  work  for  a  few  months  to  earn  the  means 
needful  for  my  new  project.  By  the  middle  of  July  I 
had  accumulated  $25,  besides  paying  for  a  supply  of 
clothing,  and  was  ready  to  go  out  into  the  great  world, 
and  struggle  for  the  prizes  in  store  for  those  who  can 
win  them. 


CHAPTER  III. 

GENESIS    OF    THE    ECLECTIC    INSTITUTE. — ITS    OBJECTS  AND 
AIMS. TEACHERS    IN    I  85  I. 

The  district  of  country  known  as  the  Western  Re- 
serve comprises  a  tract  in  the  northeast  corner  of  Ohio, 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  from  East  to 
West,  and  some  fifty  miles  from  North  to  South.  It 
contains  the  counties  of  Ashtabula,  Lake,  Cuyahoga, 
Summit,  Medina,  Huron,  Erie,  Portage,  Geauga,  Lo- 
rain, Trumbull,  and  the  north  part  of  Mahoning.  It 
was  part  of  a  grant  made  by  the  King  of  England  in 
1662,  to  the  colony  of  Connecticut  in  a  royal  charter, 
which  describes  the  land  granted  as  reaching  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean.  Under  a  compromise,  after  the  Revo- 
lutionary war,  the  territory  above  described  was 
conveyed  to  the  State  of  Connecticut  by  the  United 
States  Government,  in  satisfaction  of  the  grant  by  King 
Charles  II.  It  has  ever  since  been  known  as  the 
Connecticut  Western  Reserve.  The  proceeds  of  the 
sale  of  these  lands  were  devoted  by  the  State  of  Con- 
necticut to  the  cause  of  popular  education,  and  consti- 
tute the  larger  part  of  her  munificent  school  fund. 
The  Western  Reserve  was  very  largely  settled  by  emi- 
grants from  New  England,  and  has  been  distinguished 
for  the  intelligence,  enterprise  and  moral  worth  of  its 
citizens.  All  its  instincts  were  intensely  anti-slavery. 
It  has  been  asserted   that   even    under  the   old    Fugri- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  25 

tive  Slave  law  of  1850,  no  slave  was  ever  taken  back  to 
slavery  from  its  territory.  Lake  Erie  forms  the  north- 
ern boundary.      Cleveland  is  its  most  important  city. 

On  the  22nd  day  of  July,  185  1,  I  left  Grand  Rapids 
on  my  return  to  Ohio.  The  stage  took  me  to  Battle 
Creek,  from  whence  I  went  by  railroad  to  Detroit,  and 
from  there  by  steamboat  to  Cleveland,  where  I  arrived 
on  the  morning  of  the  24th.  From  Cleveland  to  Char- 
don,  about  thirty  miles,  I  traveled  on  foot,  arriving  at 
the  home  of  my  uncle,  Lorrin  Smith,  that  evening. 

Before  leaving  Grand  Rapids,  I  had  procured  a 
thick  memorandum  book,  to  serve  as  my  first  journal 
or  diary,  and  for  about  twenty  years  I  kept  up  the 
habit  of  making  a  daily  record  of  passing  incidents  and 
experiences.  I  shall  be  greatly  indebted  to  these  old 
journals,  comprising  several  thousand  pages,  for  the 
facts,  and  especially  the  dates  of  the  incidents  I. shall 
try  to  relate. 

As  the  school  at  Hiram  was  not  to  open  until  late 
in  August,  I  spent  a  little  time  in  visiting,  and  then 
found  employment  at  carpenter  work  at  Chardon  vil- 
lage. As  is  the  fate  of  all  sublunary  things,  the  build- 
ing upon  which  I  worked  that  summer  was  utterly 
destroyed  many  years  ago  in  a  great  conflagration 
which  annihilated  in  a  single  night  almost  the  whole 
town.  On  Monday,  August  25,  185 1,  in  company 
with  two  or  three  other  students,  I  went  to  Hiram;  the 
third  term  of  the  "Western  Reserve  Eclectic  Insti- 
tute "  opened  that  day.  Hiram  lies  about  twenty  miles 
south  of  Chardon.  The  road  runs  through  the  villages 
of  Burton  and  Troy,  and  from  the  latter  we  could  see 
the  dome  of  the  Institute,  though  five  miles  away.  It 
was  a  pleasant  ride  through  a   thickly  settled   region  ; 


26  REMINISCENCES    OF 

the  farms  were  usually  well  cultivated  ;  the  buildings  in 
good  repair ;  the  orchards  loaded  with  ripening  fruit, 
and  herds  of  fine  cattle  and  flocks  of  sheep  were  con- 
tentedly grazing  in  green  fields. 

But  I  was  somewhat  disappointed  when  we  reached 
Hiram.  We  ascended  quite  a  hill,  and  on  the  west 
side  of  the  road  stood  the  school  building ;  the  base- 
ment was  of  yellowish  sandstone,  with  two  stories 
above,  of  red  brick.  The  cupola  or  dome  was  covered 
with  zinc,  and  beneath  its  round  head  hung  the  bell 
which  will  be  remembered  perhaps  as  long  as  the  one 
which  rung  out  the  glad  story  of  the  nation's  birth. 
The  bell  ringer  of  1776  has  left  no  name  behind  him; 
while  the  Hiram  bell  will  be  remembered  on  account  of 
him  whose  stalwart  arms  rung  out  its  merry  peals. 

Passing  the  building  a  few  rods  we  reached  an  east 
and  west  road,  and  at  the  corners  were  two  small 
churches,  a  small  store,  kept  by  a  man  named  Meeker, 
whose  stock  comprised  almost  every  article  which  men, 
women  and  children  are  supposed  to  need,  and  if  re- 
ports were  true,  some  which  all  of  them  could  get  along 
without.  I  suppose  there  were  three  or  more  build- 
ings, though  I  do  not  now  remember  them.  We 
turned  to  the  left,  passed  one  house,  as  I  remember, 
and  stopped  at  the  second,  on  the  left  hand  or  north 
side.  It  was  the  home  of  a  Mr.  Edwards,  where  I  was 
to  board. 

It  may  astonish  some  of  the  students  of  these  days 
to  know  that  the  total  expense  for  board,  room,  fuel, 
lights,  and  washing,  was  only  one  dollar  and  thirty-seven 
and  a  half  cents  per  week.  We  had  enough  to  eat, 
though  I  have  no  recollection  of  the  bill  of  fare. 
I     am     certain     we     did     no     more     errumblinsr     than 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  2"J 

others  have  done  whose  board  was  far  more  expensive. 
Tuition  for  the  languages  and  higher  mathematics  was 
$5.50  for  a  term  of  twelve  weeks.  Thus  $22  paid  for 
tuition  and  board  for  the  term.  Books  were,  of  course, 
an  additional  expense. 

I  have  said  that  I  was  somewhat  disappointed  on 
my  first  view  of  the  Eclectic.  It  was  in  an  open  field ; 
small  trees  had  been  planted,  but  they  gave  no  promise 
of  shade  from  the  hot  sun  of  such  August  afternoons, 
unless  to  another  generation.  To  the  northwest  was 
an  old  orchard,  and  among  the  apple  trees  were,  if  I 
remember  correctly,  two  houses,  in  one  of  which  lived 
President  Hayden.  Evidently  the  school  was  in  an 
early  stage  of  development.  Possibly  Yale,  or  Har- 
vard presented  no  finer  appearance  at  the  same  age, 
but  one  who  has  strolled  beneath  the  giant  elms  of  the 
former,  or  through  the  costly  and  palatial  halls  and  the 
beautiful  grounds  of  the  latter,  would  hardly  have  sus- 
pected the  Eclectic  of  185  1  of  being  the  training  school 
of  not  only  a  President  of  the  United  States,  but  of 
others  who  would  do  no  discredit  to  Yale  or  Harvard. 

The  Eclectic  Institute  was  the  outgrowth  of  a  pur- 
pose, in  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  earnest  and  de- 
termined men.  The  first  announcement  contained  the 
following  declaration  of  the  principles  to  which  it  was 
pledged : 

"Education,  without  moral  culture,  is  power  for 
evil.  The  history  of  educated  men  is  too  often  the  history 
of  crime.  It  is  imperiously  demanded,  for  the  welfare  of 
the  students,  in  time  and  eternity,  that  primary  import- 
ance should  be  attached  to  a  prompt,  vigilant  and  thor- 
oughly moral  training,  during  the  whole  course  of  their 
study.      The  seminary  of  learning  should  be  the  guar- 


28  REMINISCENCES    OF 

dian  of  the  heart  and  conscience.  A  radical  reform  is 
needed  on  this  subject,  but  this  reform  will  require 
wisely  directed  and  long  continued  efforts  to  accomplish 
it.  In  all  schools,  from  the  primary  to  the  university, 
prizes  are  presented  before  the  mind  of  the  pupil  to 
stimulate  him  to  the  highest  intellectual  exertion,  while 
no  adequate  rewards  await  the  youth  studious  of  the 
ornament  of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit.  Indeed  a  well 
regulated  school  for  moral  discipline  is  yet  to  be  estab- 
lished and  successfully  conducted.  It  is  cheering  to 
know  that  many  great  and  good  men  are  laboring  to 
exalt  this  feature  of  popular  education. 

"  The  Eclectic  Institute  humbly  claims  to  hold  this 
point,  as  one  of  vast  importance,  and  to  place  it  in  the 
front  rank  of  its  classic  arrangements.  We  assume  the 
Bible — the  living  oracle  of  Divine  Truth — to  be  the 
only  sun  of  our  moral  heavens,  the  only  fountain  whose 
streams  purify  and  gladden  the  heart,  the  only  source 
of  moral  principle  and  moral  power.  For  these  rea- 
sons and  objects,  the  whole  school  receive  daily  in- 
structions in  Sacred  History.  This  inestimable  volume 
reveals  the  origin  of  the  Human  Rao::,  the  settlement 
of  the  earth,  and  the  founding  of  nations.  It  unfolds 
the  dark  history  of  human  depravity,  the  degradation 
and  misery  of  an  apostasy  from  God,  together  with  the 
righteous  judgment  of  the  Ruler  of  the  Universe  against 
idolatry.  Individuals  of  every  rank  are  here  judged, 
are  weighed  in  the  balance  of  unerring  justice,  the 
righteous  are  rescued  from  destruction,  the  poor  and 
oppressed  are  delivered  and  encouraged.  In  a  word, 
all  crime  and  impiety  here  receive  merited  punishment, 
while  purity,  truth  and  humility  are  rewarded  with  the 
manifest  tokens  of  Divine  approbation.      It  is  impossi- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  2Q 

ble  that  the  historic  records  of  these  Divine  judgments, 
so  truthful  and  thrilling,  should  be  arrayed  before  the 
mind  and  impressed  upon  the  heart,  without  producing 
in  the  life  results  most  blissful  and  lasting. 

"In  addition  to  imparting  instruction  in  all  the 
branches  of  English,  mathematical  and  classical  educa- 
tion usually  found  in  institutions  of  a  similar  rank,  the 
institution  appropriates  one  hour  every  day  to  the  ex- 
amination of  the  historic  facts  of  the  Holy  Volume  of 
God's  high  inspiration." 

Another  reason  for  the  founding  of  the  Eclectic  was 
not  set  forth  in  any  formal  announcement.  Just  over 
the  eastern  border  of  the  Western  Reserve,  in  that  nar- 
row portion  of  Virginia  which  lies  been  Ohio  and  Penn- 
sylvania, Alexander  Campbell,  in  1841,  had  founded 
Bethany  College,  with  very  similar  aims  to  those  ex- 
pressed by  the  fpunders  of  the  Eclectic.  But,  not- 
withstanding the  high  esteem  in  which  Mr.  Campbell 
was  held,  and  the  fact  that  he  had  no  slaves,  Bethany 
was  on  soil  cursed  by  slavery.  In  1850,  when  the 
Fugitive  Slave  law  was  passed,  Mr.  Campbell  had  ad- 
vised submission  to  its  requirements,  and  while  not  per- 
sonally proslavery,  he  was  not  sufficiently  anti-slavery 
to  suit  the  constituents  of  Joshua  R.  Giddings.  Further 
than  this,  Bethany  College  had  more  Southern  than 
Northern  students,  and  the  latter  would  not  endure  the 
enforced  suppression  of  free  speech,  nor  the  insults  to 
which  they  were  subjected,  especially  when  the  Presi- 
dent was  absent. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the  fires  were  smould- 
ering in  1850  and  185  I,  which  ten  years  later  wrapped 
the  whole  nation  in  the  flames  of  civil  war.      If  it  had 


30  REMINISCENCES    OF 

not  been  for  slavery,  it  is  very  doubtful  whether  the 
Eclectic  would  ever  have  been  founded. 

The  reader  will  have  to  pardon  this  digression. 
I  return  to  that  first  day  at  Hiram.  The  only  students 
with  whom  I  was  acquainted  were  Dan  R.  King,  and 
two  daughters  of  Elder  Wm.  Collins,  Amelia  and 
Amarilla,  all  of  Chardon.  We  had  all  secured  board 
at  the  same  place,  and  at  once  entered  upon  our  duties. 

The  teachers  were  as  follows  : 

A.  S.  Hayden,  Principal. 

Thomas  Munnell,  A.  M.,  Professor  of  Ancient  Lan- 
guages. 

Norman  Dunshee,  A.  M.,  Professor  of  Mathemat- 
ics and  Modern  Languages. 

Charles  D.  Wilber,  Professor  of  Natural  Sciences. 

Almeda  A.  Booth,  Teacher  in  English  Department. 

Phebe  M.  Drake  and  Laura  A.  Qark,  Teachers  in 
Primary  Department. 

Of  these  teachers,  President  Hayden  and  Miss 
Booth  have  been  dead  many  years.  Professor  Munnell 
is  still  living  at  Mt.  Sterling,  Ky.;  Professor  Dunshee 
is  teaching  Latin  and  Greek  in  Drake  University,  Des 
Moines,  Iowa ;  C.  D.  Wilber  is,  I  believe,  in  Chicago, 
and  Laura  A.  Clark,  now  Mrs.  Ellis  Ballou,  lived  re- 
cently at  Helena,  M.  T. 

I  entered  classes  in  Virgil,  Latin  Grammar,  Alge- 
bra and  Physiology,  and  among  my  class-mates  in  part, 
if  not  all,  was  James  A.  Garfield. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

MY    FIRST    ACQUAINTANCE   WITH  JAMES  A.    GARFIELD. — HIS 
VALEDICTORY. 

I  regret  that  I  am  unable  to  fix  upon  the  exact 
date  when  I  formed  the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Garfield, 
but  it  was  within  a  day  or  two  after  the  opening  of  the 
term,  Aug.  25,  185  1.  My  first  distinct  recollection  of 
him  is  as  he  stood  in  the  hall  grasping  the  bell  rope  to 
signal  the  change  of  classes.  He  was  at  that  time  not 
quite  twenty  years  old ;  a  broad-shouldered,  powerfully 
built  fellow,  nearly  six  feet  high  ;  his  hair  cut  rather 
short  and  standing  almost  erect;  his  eyes  blue; 
his  clothing  was  of  material  then  known  as  Ken- 
tucky jeans,  and  his  arms  to  the  elbows  were  protected 
by  sleeves  of  calico.  There  was  a  genial,  kindly  look 
in  his  eyes,  which  every  one  felt  who  came  in  contact 
with  him,  yet  a  certain  dignity  which  would  command 
respect.  Some  of  his  biographers  betray  their  lack  ol 
accurate  information  by  speaking  of  him  at  this  time  as 
"Jim  Garfield."      I  never  heard  him  thus  addressed. 

It  is  well  to  remember  that  a  large  majority  of  the 
students  at  the  Eclectic  were  sons  and  daughters  of 
farmers  and  mechanics,  and  the  community  was  so 
thoroughly  imbued  with  the  idea  that  idleness  and  use- 
lessness,  rather  than  labor,  were  disgraceful,  that  no  stu- 
dent lost  caste  or  suffered  reproach  on  account  of  any 
useful  employment.   I  do  not  think  it  ever  entered  into 


32  REMINISCENCES    OF 

the  mind  of  any  student  that  Mr.  Garfield  was  de- 
graded in  the  slightest  degree  by  his  labor  about  the 
building. 

I  think  that  Garfield  had  read  less  Latin  than  any  of 
the  class,  but  we  soon  found  that  he  possessed  marvel- 
ous capacity,  especially  for  persistent  work.  His 
powers  of  endurance  were  wonderful.  I  am  hardly 
certain  that  he  slept  at  all  that  fall.  It  is  certain  that 
he  studied  far  into  the  night,  and  that  the  bell  was  al- 
ways rung  at  5  o'clock  in  the  morning.  He  speedily 
took  rank  among  the  very  best  scholars  in  the  school, 
and,  with  scarcely  a  single  exception,  was  a  universal 
favorite. 

Among  the  students  that  fall  were  the  four  cousins 
of  Garfield,  Henry  B.  Boynton,  William  A.  Boynton, 
Harriet  A.  Boynton,  Phebe  M.  Boynton  ;  John  Encell, 
I.  N.  Thomas,  Walter  S.  Hayden,  G.  L.  Applegate, 
William  M.  Roe,  Mary  L.  Hubbell,  Angeline  E.,  and 
Mary  R.  Packer,  and  others,  with  whom  I  became  in- 
timately acquainted.  Encell,  Hayden,  Roe  and  Ap- 
plegate became  preachers,  and  are  all  still  living.  I. 
N.  Thomas  lived  for  many  years  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa, 
and  was  for  six  years  county  Recorder ;  William  Boyn- 
ton died  in  his  early  manhood ;  Henry,  Harriet  and 
Phebe  are  still  living  —  Henry  on  the  old  farm  in 
Orange,  where  Garfield  was  born  ;  Phebe  was  married 
to  John  H.  Clapp,  who  raised  a  company  of  cavalry  in 
the  spring  of  1862,  and  while  riding  at  its  head 
through  the  streets  of  Cleveland  was  thrown  from  his 
horse  and  so  seriously  injured  that  he  lived  only  a  week. 
His  noble  wife  has  remained  a  widow  for  nearly  a  quar- 
ter of  a  century.  She  lives  now  at  Hiram.  Mary  L. 
Hubbell,  whom  all  of  us  then  thought  was  destined  to 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  33 

become  the  wife  of  Garfield,  has  been  dead  for  many 
years.  Angeline  E.  Packer,  now  wife  of  Cyrus  Ry- 
der, still  lives  at  Hiram. 

One  of  the  distinguishing  features  of  the  Eclectic 
was  the  morning  lecture  on  Bible  History,  usually 
given  by  President  Hayden.  I  have  always  regretted 
that  I  did  not  keep  notes  of  these  lectures,  as  they 
were  of  much  interest.  President  Hayden  was  a  man 
of  such  excellent  spirit  that  he  won  the  hearts  of  most 
of  his  students  ;  and  his  sincerity  and  unaffected  in- 
terest in  the  welfare  of  each  one  were  so  unmistakable 
that  we  used  to  listen  to  his  instruction  with  more  than 
ordinary  pleasure.  That  he  believed  the  Bible  to  be  a 
book  written  "by  holy  men  of  old,  as  they  were 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,"  was  certain  ;  and  whatever 
may  have  been  our  doubts,  we  felt  that  it  was  with  the 
liveliest  interest  in  us  that  he  taught  us  the  imperisha- 
ble truths  revealed  in  its  sacred  pages. 

Perhaps  I  can  give  an  idea  of  one  of  these  morning 
lectures.  After  the  usual  Scripture  reading,  singing  by 
the  students,  led  by  the  President,  who  was  an  excel- 
lent singer,  and  prayer,  Mr.  Hayden  called  attention 
to  the  account  of  the  human  race  from  the  creation  to 
the  deluge,  as  narrated  in  the  fifth  chapter  of  the  book 
of  Genesis.  He  stated  that  its  truth  had  been  called 
in  question,  and  that  unbelievers  had  claimed  the 
whole  story  to  be  a  fiction.  He  then  asked  every  stu- 
dent to  open  his  Bible — all  were  required  to  come  to 
the  morning  exercises  with  one — and  turn  to  the  fifth 
chapter  of  Genesis.  He  then  turned  to  the  blackboard 
and  then  asked,  "  Hew  old  was  Adam  at  the  birth  of 
Seth  ?"     The  answer  was  given,  130  years.      He  con- 


34  REMINISCENCES    OF 

tinued  his  questions  on  each  one  to  Noah,  and  wrote 
down  the  result  as  follows : 

Adam  to  Seth years  130 

Seth  to  Enos "  105 

Enos  to  Cainan "  90 

Cainan  to  Mahalaleel "  70 

Mahalaleel  to  Jared "  65 

Jared  to  Enoch "  162 

Enoch  to  Methusaleh "  65 

Methusaleh  to  Lamech "  187 

Lamech  to  Noah "  182 

Noah  to  the  flood "  600 

Total years    1656 

He  then  asked  us  to  see  what  the  above  table 
showed  the  time  to  be  from  the  birth  of  Methusaleh  to 
the  flood,  and  by  adding  the  last  three  sums  we  had 
969,  which  the  writer  of  the  book  of  Genesis  gives  as 
the  whole  age  of  Methusaleh  ;  so  it  follows  that  he 
died  the  year  the  flood  commenced.  He  added : 
"Now,  suppose  any  of  those  numbers  had  been  one 
greater,  it  would  have  involved  a  positive  contradic- 
tion, as  Methusaleh  would  have  been  drowned  before 
he  could  have  attained  the  age  attributed  to  him."  He 
then  showed  the  frequent  anachronisms  found  in  his- 
tory, and  every  day  detected  in  almost  all  fictitious 
writing,  and  argued  that  equal  fidelity  and  consistency 
would  everywhere  be  found  in  the  sacred  Scriptures. 

Thus  each  morning  the  whole  school  was  drilled 
with  the  open  Bible,  on  its  history  and  literature,  its 
moral  teaching,  etc.,  but  never  on  doctrinal  differ- 
ences existing  between  the  different  denominations. 
While  a  majority  of  the  students  were  either  Disciples 
or  from  the  families  of  Disciples,  yet  there  were  many 
who  had   no  affiliation  with  the  religious  people  who 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  35 

had  founded  the  school.  Mr.  Garfield  for  a  year  or 
more  had  been  a  member  of  the  church  at  Orange,  of 
which  his  uncle,  Amos  Boynton,  was  an  elder,  and  his 
mother  a  member.  Of  the  students  named,  all,  I  be- 
lieve, were  members  of  the  Church  of  Disciples,  ex- 
cept Mr.  Thomas. 

On  the  2nd  of  September  we  were  favored  by  a 
visit  from  Alexander  Campbell,  then  on  his  way  to  the 
Cuyahoga  County  Annual  Meeting,  which  was  held 
that  year  at  Bedford.  He  was  then  about  sixty-three 
years  old.  He  was  a  man  of  striking  appearance,  tall, 
well  proportioned,  quite  gray,  with  eyes  bright  and 
piercing.  He  gave  us  an  extempore  address  of  over  an 
hour  on  the  subject  of  "  Education,"  which  we  thought 
to  be  able  and  interesting.  I  attended  the  Bedford 
meeting,  and  heard  him  deliver  a  number  of  sermons. 

The  Eclectic  boasted  the  possession  of  the  usual 
literary  societies,  and  the  more  ambitious  students  were 
all  members.  In  one  of  these  Mr.  Garfield  speedily 
took  the  highest  rank.  He  was  always  ready  for  a  de- 
bate, and  never  failed  to  perform  any  part  assigned 
him. 

The  monotonous  succession  of  work  in  such  a 
school,  while  of  the  highest  interest  to  the  youthful 
participants,  affords  few  incidents  to  others.  The  days 
came  and  went  with  their  succession  of  lessons,  well 
learned  by  many,  but  shirked  by  others,  as  always  has 
been  the  case,  and  the  end  of  the  term  was  approach- 
ing. The  preceding  winter  Mr.  Garfield  had  taught 
the  public  school  at  Warrensville,  Cuyahoga  county, 
and  his  services  for  the  approaching  winter  had  been 
again  secured.  In  October  I  had  contracted  to  teach  a 
similar  school  at   Hambden.  Geauga  county.      During 


36  REMINISCENCES    OF 

the  term  Mr.  Garfield  and  I  had  became  very  intimate 
friends.  We  had  studied  together  our  Latin  and 
mathematics  most  of  the  time,  and  not  a  day  had 
passed  when  we  were  both  at  Hiram  that  we  had  not 
been  more  or  less  in  each  other's  society.  We  had  de- 
claimed "  Lochiel's  Warning,"  he  as  the  haughty 
Highland  Chief  and  I  as  the  Seer;  we  had  had  many  a 
warm  contest  in  the  debating  club,  for  it  was  only  on 
rare  occasions  that  we  were  colleagues,  and  yet  our 
friendship  had  grown  stronger  day  by  day.  I  can  not 
remember  a  single  unkind  word  toward  me  which  ever 
fell  from  his  lips. 

The  term  closed  Nov.  14,  185 1,  with  public  exer- 
cises, on  which  occasion  the  valedictory  was  by  Mr. 
Garfield.  This  was  five  days  before  he  was  twenty 
years  old,  and  yet  it  seems  to  me,  even  now  with  the 
ripened  experience  of  years,  to  be  a  composition  of 
which  his  friends  need  not  be  ashamed.  I  find  a  copy 
of  it  among  my  papers,  and  as  the  earliest  specimen  of 
his  literary  work  ever  laid  before  the  public,  I  venture 
to  give  it  to  my  readers. 

VALEDICTORY    ADDRESS   OF   J.   A.   GARFIELD,   HIRAM,   O.,   NOV.    14,    1851. 

Fellow  Stude7its : — The  time  has  at  length  arrived  when  our  connec- 
tion with  this  institution  and  with  each  other,  as  seekers  of  knowledge,  is 
about  to  terminate,  at  least  for  a  season.  It  is  fitting  that  we  take  a 
retrospective  view,  and  consider  lor  a  few  moments  that  series  of 
events  which  is  now  about  to  close.  Time  with  his  untiring  wings  has 
flown  ceaseless  and  noiseless.  Three  short  months  have  been  chronicled 
upon  his  mighty  scroll  since  a  band  of  strangers  met  within  these 
walls.  We  had  left  the  society  of  friends  and  parents,  the  endear- 
ments of  home,  to  seek  the  sparkling  gems  of  science  ;  to  expand  and 
elevate  the  mind,  to  raise  the  soul  from  earth  and  point  it  to  the  skies. 
Few  familiar  faces  gladdened  our  number.  But  time  rolled  on.  Side 
by  side  we  toiled  up  the  steep  ascent  upon  whose  beetling  summit 
stands  the  fair  temple  of  knowledge.     All  hearts  beat  in  unison  ;  mind 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  37 

communed  with  mind ;  affections  were  blended  and  strengthened, 
which  naught  but  the  palsying  touch  of  Death  can  rend  asunder.  At 
the  return  of  each  glad  morning  we  have  here  assembled  to  read  the 
word  of  God  ;  to  learn  sweet  lessons  from  its  sacred  pages ;  to  invoke 
His  blessing  to  rest  upon  us  ;  and  then  we  have  raised  our  voices,  in 
singing  praises  to  His  name.  Here  we  have  listened  to  the  voice  of  in- 
struction, the  friendly  counsel,  and  the  kind  warning  against  the  evils 
which  beset  the  paths  of  youth.  Our  minds  have  here  been  fed  with 
the  sweets  of  science  and  we  have  enjoyed  a  sumptuous  intellectual 
feast.  But  those  varied  scenes,  with  all  their  joys  and  sorrows,  are 
past.  All  human  organizations  are  destined  to  dissolution.  A  few 
short  hours,  and  we  shall  have  separated — another  rolling  sun,  and 
these  "familiar  halls  "  are  silent.  No  more  shall  the  clear  tones  of 
that  "friendly  monitor"  borne  on  the  morning  air  call  this  band  to 
duty.  The  events  of  our  sojourn  here  will  soon  be  numbered  «  mong 
the  things  that  were,  and  will  live  only  in  the  memory.  But  there  up- 
on that  tablet  of  the  heart  these  scenes  shall  ever  dwell.  For  many  a 
year  to  come,  in  thought,  we  '11  wander  back  to  these  bright  days  and 
live  them  o 'er  again.  We '11  tread  these  halls  and  greet  each  happy 
friend  as  we  were  wont  to  do.  To  those  who  have  been  the  obedient, 
the  faithful  students,  these  will  be  cheering  reflections.  This  spot  will  be 
as  a  bright  oasis  to  cheer  the  drooping  heart  through  the  dreary  desert 
of  life.  Time  still  will  wing  his  flight,  and  years  roll  on,  and  could 
we  lift  the  darkened  veil  that  shrouds  the  mighty  realm  of  the  future, 
what  would  be  the  spectacle  presented  to  our  view?  What  one  of  our 
number,  ere  another  sunny  spring  visits  the  earth,  shall  have  gone  to 
inhabit  the  "  silent  city  of  the  dead"?  What  heart  shall  be  wrung 
with  anguish  or  weighed  down  with  sorrow  ?  Who  shall  mourn  over 
the  tombs  of  departed  loved  ones,  or  shed  tears  of  bereaved  fondness  ? 
To  Him  alone  who  rules  in  earth  and  heaven  these  things  are  known. 
To  us  belongs  the  present  only.  Let  us  then  profit  by  this  occasion 
and  review  our  past  course,  endeavoring  to  correct  the  errors  and  copy 
the  virtues  in  our  subsequent  lives.  To  our  repected  teachers,  who 
have  so  anxiously  watched  the  workings  of  the  youthful  mind,  who 
have  ever  been  present  with  a  helping  hand  and  a  willing  heart  to 
cheer  us  on  when  difficulties  obstructed  our  path,  we  present  our 
heartfelt  thanks.  By  us  your  names  will  ever  be  held  in  grateful  re- 
membrance. Perhaps  you  have  often  been  pained  by  our  words  or  our 
conduct  in  an  hour  of  mirth  ;  but  we  plead  the  vivacity  and  fire  of 
youth  rather  than  a  wish  to  wound  the  feelings  of  those  whom  we  shall 
ever  respect.     May  peace  and  happiness  attend  you,  and  in  the  many 


38  REMINISCENCES    OF 

duties  and  responsibilities  which  rest  upon  you  may  the  kind  hand  of 
Providence  direct  you  so  that  this  institution  shall  ever  be  a  fountain 
of  knowledge  and  pure  morality  from  which  streams  of  living  light 
shall  radiate  to  dispel  the  darkness  ol  ignorance  and  superstition.  To 
my  fellow  students  let  me  say,  in  whatever  circumstances  of  life  I  am 
placed,  the  recollection  of  this  youthful  company  will  ever  be  cherished 
with  the  most  pleasing  emotions.  In  all  the  various  relations  we  have 
sustained  to  each  other  there  has  been  hardly  a  jarring  note  to  inter- 
rupt the  harmony  of  our  intercourse.  We  part.  Never  again  shall 
we  all  meet  on  these  mundane  shores.  We  go,  and  soon  are  scattered 
o'er  the  earth.  Death  does  his  work  and  we  sink  down  into  his  dark 
domains.  Shall  we  there  rest  while  endless  ages  roll?  Shall  morning 
never  dawn  upon  that  dreamless  sleep  ?  Religion  holds  the  lamp  at 
Death's  dark  threshold  and  lights  the  passage  through  its  gloomy 
shades.  We'll  pass  its  dusky  portals — eternity  bursts  in  upon  our 
view — and  there  around  the  throne  of- God  we'll  meet  to  part  no 
more  ! 

Before  leaving  for  our  respective  fields  of  labor  we 
had  each  promised  the  other  to  write  frequently,  and 
the  following  Monday  found  me  at  Hambden  duly  en- 
gaged in  my  winter's  work.  His  school  at  Warrens- 
ville  opened  a  few  days  later.  My  wages  were  $16 
per  month,  with  board  in  the  several  families  of  my 
patrons. 


CHAPTER  V. 

MY  SCHOOL  AT  HAMBDEN. LETTERS  FROM  MR.  GARFIELD. 

When  I  look  back  over  the  checkered  history  of 
more  than  thirty  years,  it  seems  to  me  that  the  most 
unhappy  of  all  its  months  were  those  spent  that  winter 
at  Hambden.  The  little  village  had  been  finished  long 
before ;  it  had  enjoyed  no  past,  and  had  no  hope  in  the 
future.  While  long  since  dead,  no  friendly  hand  had 
given  it  burial ;  but  the  mildew  of  the  charnel-house 
was  over  it  all.  The  two  churches  stood  like  gladiators 
over  against  each  other,  shabby  in  their  weather-beaten 
habiliments,  faded  and  tattered  by  winter's  storms  and 
summer's  heat.  Without,  they  were  forbidding  and 
repulsive ;  within,  the  fires  had  grown  cold  upon  their 
altars,  and  the  worshipers  had  departed,  save  a  few 
fossils  who  had  come  down  from  a  former  generation. 
As  to  my  scholars,  I  soon  became  hopeless  of  awaken- 
ing in  them  any  ambition  and  hope.  They  were  care- 
less of  the  present,  and  reckless  of  the  future. 

Almost  the  only  oasis  in  my  desert  was  the  bright 
hope  that  with  the  return  of  spring  I  should  again  be 
found  among  the  students  of  the  Eclectic,  from  whence 
the  hard  hand  of  inexorable  poverty  had  driven  me,  to 
sell  a  part  of  my  life  for  a  miserable  pittance.  I  had  prom- 
ised to  keep  up  a  correspondence  with  two  or  three  of 
the  students,  and  chief  among  them  was  Mr.  Garfield. 
I  have  a  number  of  letters  written  by  him  during  the 


40  REMINISCENCES    OF 

time,  and  as  I  read  them  they  bring  back  the  over- 
whelming pleasure  I  experienced  in  perusing  them  in  my 
solitude  and  homesickness  that  wretched  winter.  It 
seems  to  me  now  as  though  there  was  no  sunshine,  but 
only  dismal  days,  dark  and  leaden-hued.  Each  night 
I  was  accustomed  to  make  a  note  of  how  many  more 
days  I  must  endure  before  my  weary  task  would  be 
done.      Here  is  my  first  letter  from  Mr.  Garfield  : 

Warrensville,  Dec.  5,  1851. 

Dear  Corydon : — Since  last  we  saw  each  other,  Time  with  his 
wheels  of  lightning  has  swiftly  rolled  along,  bearing  the  joys  and  sor- 
rows of  a  world  to  the  great  depot  of  Eternity,  and  I,  too,  have  taken 
passage  on  board  his  mighty  car.  Three  weeks  ago  to-day  a  band  of 
youthful  friends  left  the  halls  of  the  Eclectic  with  beating  hearts  and 
tearful  eyes.  In  memory  now  I  see  their  faces  eloquent  with  emotion 
as  they  bid  farewell  to  those  with  whom  they  have  been  so  closely  allied 
in  the  bonds  of  friendship.  I  often  fancy  myself  standing  at  its  portals 
and  viewing  the  youthful  countenances  of  many  a  tried  friend.  And 
foremost  do  I  see  the  form  of  friend  Fuller,  always  ready  for  every 
good  word  and  work.  I  received  your  interesting  letter  yesterday,  and 
was  very  much  pleased,  gratified,  refreshed  and  delighted  by  its  con- 
tents. I  commenced  my  school  last  Monday  at  $20  per  month  (twenty- 
two  days  to  the  month),  with  twenty-eight  scholars  the  first  day.  I  now 
have  thirty-one.  I  have,  besides  the  common  branches,  Algebra  (three 
classes),  Geometry,  Botany,  Ancient  Geography  and  Latin.  Hence,  you 
see,  I  have  plenty  of  business  on  hand.  Every  other  Saturday  I  expect 
to  have  compositions,  declamations  and  a  "budget"  read,  for  which  I 
may  contribute  some. 

The  Boyntons'  schools  are  in  operation,  except  Harriet's.  She 
commences  next  Monday  to  teach,  about  four  miles  from  home,  at  $10 
per  month. 

With  regard  to  my  "taking,"  I  reckon  I  do.  is  a  good  fel- 
low, but  Harriet  is  a  resolute,  outspoken  girl,  and  says  what  she  thinks, 
without  flattery  or  conservatism.  1  truly  sympathize  with  him,  and  no 
doubt  she  did;  but  still  she  couldn't  "talk  turkey"  to  him.  With 
regard  to  my  "attentive  scholar,"  I  have  not  much  to  say.  You  seem 
to  be  pretty  well  posted.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  she  attends  school  at  the 
center  of  Warrensville ! 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  4 1 

Corydon,  I  should  like  to  take  you  by  the  arm  and  walk  into  the 
Eclectic  Lyceum  to-morrow  evening,  and  hear  some  of  the  present 
members  fulminate,  clash,  combat  and  discuss.  I  wonder  if  they  would 
"chalk  up"  to  last  term.  They  say  "Hope  keeps  the  heart  whole," 
and  I  believe  it  is  true.  In  all  my  toils,  the  prospect  of  next  spring, 
with  all  its  associations,  serves  as  a  beacon  light  to  cheer  me  on. 

Remember  me  to  Dan,  and  also  to  that  "  little  Collins,"  and  believe 
me  your  sincere  friend,  James  A.  Garfield. 

The  "Dan"  to  whom  he  referred  was  Dan  R. 
King,  for  many  years  of  Chardon,  and  later  of  Geneva, 
Ohio,  a  highly  respected  citizen  as  well  as  a  preacher 
of  acceptable  ability.  The  "  little  Collins  "  was  Amelia, 
the  oldest  daughter  of  Elder  William  Collins,  one  of 
the  pioneer  preachers  of  the  Western  Reserve,  known 
to  the  whole  brotherhood  for  many  years  as  a  man  of 
character  and  power.  Amelia  was  a  little  sprite,  bright 
and  pretty  as  a  doll,  and  beloved  by  every  one.  She 
was  four  years  older  than  Mr.  Garfield,  and  is  long 
since  dead. 

On  the  first  of  January,  1852,  I  paid  a  visit  to 
Hiram,  and  secured  my  boarding  place  for  the  spring 
term,  at  the  home  of  Zeb  Rudolph,  at  the  same  price 
I  had  paid  in  the  fall,  viz.,  $1.38  cents  per  week.  It 
will  be  noted  by  the  reader  that  this  gentleman  is  the 
father  of  Mrs.  Garfield,  and  he  is  still  living — a  grand 
old  man,  an  honor  to  any  age  or  country.  I  shall  have 
more  to  say  of  him  and  his  excellent  family  at  some 
future  time. 

I  was  much  disappointed  in  not  meeting  Mr.  Gar- 
field and  the  Boyntons,  but  had  a  pleasant  visit  with 
those  of  the  students  who  had  remained  during  the  win- 
ter term.  There  were  230  in  attendance.  In  my  notes 
of  this  visit  I  find  the  name  of  Wallace  J.  Ford,  now 
of  Eureka,  111.,  but  for  many  years  of  Burton,  Ohio.      I 


42  REMINISCENCES    OF 

met  him  some  three  or  four  years  ago,  after  years  of 
separation,  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  and  renewed  old  asso- 
ciations. He  was  one  of  Mr.  Garfield's  valued  friends, 
and  is  a  noble  fellow. 

On  the  6th  of  January  I  wrote  to  Mr.  Garfield,  and 
here  is  his  reply  : 

Warrensville,  January  16,  1852. 

Dear  Corydon: — I  received  your  very  welcome  letter  last  Monday, 
and  was  much  cheered  by  its  contents.  Since  I  wrote  you  before,  I 
have  had  nearly  a  week's  sickness.  The  day  before  Christmas  I  was 
attacked  with  the  lung  fever,  and  for  two  days  was  very  sick,  but  by 
the  skill  of  the  physician,  and  the  good  care  I  had  taken  of  me  at  Mr. 
Hubbell's  I  recovered  so  as  to  go  into  my  school  again  after  four  days. 
I  am  progressing  very  well  so  far,  though  perhaps  I  never  worked 
harder  in  the  hay-field  than  I  work  in  school  this  winter.  I  have  as 
yet  had  no  rod  in  school,  but  I  stand  ready  to  use  one  when  necessity 
demands  it.  I  hope,  however,  to  get  along  without,  as  I  did  last  winter, 
Upon  the  whole,  my  school  is  quite  pleasant,  but  there  are  some  cases 
of — perhaps  I  may  name  it — intellectual  dyspepsia.  I  am  as  yet  baffled 
to  find  a  cure  for  it.  If  you  can  suggest  some  remedy,  I  would  thank 
you.  Some  scholars  seem  to  have  acquired  a  distaste  for  study,  which 
all  my  ingenuity  can  not  eradicate.  They  are  those  who  have  been  put 
through  at  school  for  nearly  a  year,  and  do  not  seem  to  have  that  in- 
terest in  themselves  that  they  ought  to  have  in  order  to  success.  How- 
ever, the  majority  take  hold  of  study  with  energy.  I  have  five  weeks 
after  this  to  teach,  and  shall  feel  myself  relieved  of  a  heavy  burden 
when  the  term  closes. 

Last  Saturday  morning  William,  Phebe  and  Cordelia  Boynton  and 
I  piled  into  a  double  sleigh  and  started  for  Hiram.  We  stopped  at 
Solon  and  took  in  Miss  Seward  and  Minnie  Norton,  and  arrived  at 
Hiram  about  3  o'clock  P.  M.  We  visited  fast  while  there,  I  tell  you. 
We  were  sorry  to  learn  that  several  of  our  friends  (yourself  among 
them)  had  been  there  and  gone  away  again,  having  hoped  to  see  you 
there  when  we  were. 

CoryHon,  what  think  you  were  the  thoughts  that  revolved  through 
my  mind  as  I  trod  those  old  familiar  halls  again  ?  The  friends  of  last 
fall  passed  before  my  mind's  eye  like  the  figures  of  a  drama.  Each 
one,  as  he  passed  along,  greeted  me  with  a  familiar  grasp  of  the  hand 
and  a  smiling  face,  and  spoke  words  of  encouragement.      It  was   to  me 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  43 

a  melancholy  pleasure  to  thus  review  those  scenes,  and  know  that  that 
same  company  never  again  should  meet  on  the  shores  of  time.  Corydon, 
I  had  another  reflection  :  perhaps  't  is  moonshine — perhaps  'tis  fancy — 
but  let  me  submit  it  to  you.  It  is  a  philosophical  fact  that  light  occu- 
pies eight  minutes  in  passing  from  the  earth  to  the  sun,  and  the  time  is 
proportioned  to  the  space.  May  there  not  be  a  spot  far  off  in  the 
immensity  of  space  where  it  will  take  months,  yea,  years  for  the  light 
to  travel  ?  May  not  my  thoughts  and  actions  of  last  fall,  borne  by  the 
swift-winged  steeds  of  light,  be  now  entering  the  presence-chamber  of 
Deity,  and  there,  upon  the  mighty  archives  of  eternity,  may  not  my 
eternal  destiny  be  daily  inscribing  ?  Yes,  after  our  spirits  shall  have 
arrived  into  the  presence  of  the  Almighty,  may  we  not  see  the  acts  of 
our  lives  come  up  and  write  out  our  destiny?  Should  we  not  be  care- 
ful to  write  a  character  which  we  will  be  willing  to  have  read  before 
the  assembled  universe  ?  Be  it  moonshine  or  not,  thus  the  steeds  of 
imagination  carry  me,  and  you  will  excuse  me  for  committing  them  to 
paper. 

Tuesday,  20th. 

Well,  I  quit  writing  that  evening  to  attend  the  Warrensville  Lit- 
erary Club,  of  which  I  am  a  member.  We  had  a  very  good  time,  con- 
sidering the  "  timber."  We  have  resolved  ourselves  into  a  senate,  and 
each  member  represents  some  State  in  the  Union.  I  am  not  only 
President,  but  also  a  representative  from  South  Carolina,  to  watch  the 
interests  of  my  nullifying  constituents.  The  bill  before  our  senate  for 
next  evening  is,  "  That  we  will  assist,  financially  the.  Hungarian  exiles, 
Kossuth  and  his  compatriots,  from  the  national  treasury."  We  shall 
undoubtedly  have  a  warm  time. 

By  the  way,  what  do  you  think  of  the  effect  of  the  excitement  in 
reference  to  Kossuth  upon  our  nation  and  popular  liberty  ?  How  far 
may  our  government  safely  interfere  in  the  Hungarian  struggle? 

But  I  am  certainly  rhapsodical  this  time.  You  must  write  me  a 
letter  and  trim  me  up. 

I  am  seated  in  my  school-house — a  room  about  18  by  20 — with  a 
stove  in  the  center,  and  in  school  the  scholars  are  all  around  me,  forty 
on  the  list.     With  these  facts  before  me,  i  am  led  to  exclaim  : 

Of  all  the  trades  by  men  pursued 

There  's  none  that 's  more  perplexing 
Than  is  the  country  pedagogue's — 

It's  every  way  most  vexing. 

Cooped  in  a  little  narrow  cell, 
As  hot  as  black  Tartarus, 


44  REMINISCENCES    OF 

As  well  in  Pandemonium  dwell 
As  in  this  little  school  house. 

Well,  Corydon,  if  you  have  had  the  patience  to  read  to  here,  please 
accept  as  an  apology  for  my  disconnected,  senseless  trash,  the  fact  that 
I  have  written  a  few  lines  at  a  time,  and  in  all  possible  states  of  mind 
and  body.     I  took  this  foolscap  sheet  for  the  want  of  any  other. 

Now,  Corydon,  will  you  respond  to  this  soon  ?  Well,  do  so.  Give 
my  love  to  all  our  Chardon  folks,  and  believe  me  your  sincere  friend^ 

J.  A.  Garfield. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A    VISIT    TO    CHAGRIN    FALLS   AND    ORANGE. SPRING   TERM 

OF    THE     ECLECTIC     FOR     1852. "DREAM     OF     AMBI- 
TION." 

I  have  before  stated  that  the  winter  at  Hambden, 
with  its  apparently  unfruitful  labors,  was  exceedingly 
irksome  to  me.  Of  all  my  schools,  and  I  was  a 
teacher  for  several  years,  no  other  was  ever  so  unsatis- 
factory. Perhaps  the  fault  was  mine,  though  it 
seemed  to  me  that  I  did  everything  in  my  power  to 
inspire  ambition  in  the  hearts  of  my  scholars.  I  have 
no  copies  of  my  letters  to  Mr.  Garfield,  but  I  find 
him  very  frequently  mentioned  in  my  journal,  as  well 
as  in  my  letters  to  my  father  and  mother.  From  the 
following  letter,  I  infer  that  I  had  expressed  to  him 
my  discouragement  and  dissatisfaction  with  what  I 
was  accomplishing  : 

Warrensville,  Feb.  2,  1852. 

Dear  Corydon : — I  received  your  favor  of  the  29th  inst.  this  morn- 
ing, and  was  glad  to  learn  that  you  are  nearly  released  from  your  disa- 
greeable situation,  which  very  much  resembles  my  circumstances.  I 
can  truly  sympathize  with  you  in  the  trying  and  thankless  task  of  the 
ill-fated  pedagogue  endeav.  'ring  to  unfold  the  mysteries  of  science  to 
his  drowsy  pupils,  half-locked  in  the  arms  of  Morpheus^  having 
become  enervated  in  the  midnight  revel  in  the  ball-room.  Can  such 
animal  souls  possess  one  spark  of  immortality,  or  of  that  "pure  divin- 
ity which  glows  with  light  unceasing  "? 

Well,  I  am  still  trying  to  keep  my  head  above  water,  and  I  have 
some  very  good  scholars,  who  seem  to  feel  that  life  is  of  some  more  ac- 


4.6  REMINISCENCES    OF 

count  than  to  be  whiled  away  thus.  I  have  two  weeks  after  this  to 
teach,  and  then  shall  be  around  home  in  Orange,  or  sometvhere  else,  till 
the  Hiram  school  commences. 

Now  won't  we  have  a  time  there  next  spring?  We'll  study,  clash, 
combat  and  discuss,  make  "Student's  Offerings"  and  engage  in  all  the 
other  soul-stirring  operations  of  a  student's  life. 

Last  Sunday  week  I  was  at  home,  and  went  to  Solon  to  a  meeting ; 
and  found  G.  L.  Applegate,  William,  Henry,  Harriet  and  Phebe 
(Boynton),  Janett  (Seward),  Minnie  Norton,  Walter  Hayden,  and  sev- 
eral other  friends,  and  we  had  a  fin~  time,  I  assure  you.  I  had  not 
seen  Harriet  before  since  I  commenced  school.  She  is  doing  well.  She 
has  had  an  opportunity  to  display  her  courage  and  firmness,  and  she 
improved  it.  Two  boys  were  fighting  (some  fourteen  or  fifteen  years 
old),  and  she  ordered  them  to  desist.  They  refused,  and  she  collared 
one  of  them.  He  turned  upon  her,  but  she  downed  him  and  choked 
him  till  he  bawled  uproariously,  and  agreed  to  "chalk  up"  hencefor- 
ward. 

Saturday,  Feb.  14. 

It  seems  almost  impossible  that  I  should  finish  a  letter  all  at  one 
time,  but  you  must  pardon  my  aberrations  and  accept  "a  press  of  bus- 
iness "  as  an  excuse.  I  have  now  only  six  more  days  to  teach,  and  then 
I  '11  be  free  again.  My  school  has  done  better  for  the  last  week,  for  I 
talked  up  to  some  of  my  frolickers,  insomuch  that  they  left  school, 
and  now  we  have  a  good  time.  Forty-three  on  my  list,  and  thirty  in 
regular  attendance.  The  last  day  I  am  to  have  compositions,  declama- 
tions and  a  paper,  and  I  want  to  preach  a  sermon  of  about  an  hour's 
length  to  some  of  them  on  the  subject  of  rowdyism.  I  intend  to  do  it 
up  in  as  brown  a  rag  as  I  am  capable.  John  M.  Smith  is  teaching  in 
this  town.  He  is  in  the  same  fix  that  we  are  in  regard  to  drowsy 
scholars,  with  no  interest  in  study. 

Oh  !  that  I  possessed  the  power  to  scatter  the  firebrands  of  ambition 
among  the  youth  of  the  rising  generation,  and  let  them  see  the  great, 
ness  of  the  age  in  which  they  live,  and  the  destiny  to  which  mankind 
are  rushing,  together  with  the  part  which  they  are  destined  to  act  in  the 
great  drama  of  human  existence.  But,  if  I  can  not  inspire  them  with 
that  spirit,  I  intend  to  keep  it  predominant  in  my  own  breast,  and  let 
it  spur  me  forward  to  action.  But  let  us  remember  that  knowledge  is 
only  an  increase  of  power  and  is  only  good  when  directed  to  good  ends. 
Though  a  man  have  all  knowledge  and  have  not  the  love  of  God  in  his 
heart,  he  will  fall  far  short  of  true  exellence. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  47 

Well,  Corydon,  you  will  write  me  a  letter  (you  need  not  call  it  an 
answer  to  this)  and  direct  it  to  Chagrin  Falls,  Cuyahoga  Co.  I  know 
you  will.     Believe  me,  yours,  J.  A.  Garfield. 

My  school  closed  on  the  12th  of  February,  and  I 
was  free,  with  something  over  a  month  of  leisure 
before  me,  as  the  Spring  term  at  Hiram  did  not  open 
until  March  22.  I  found  employment  part  of  the  time 
at  Chardon.  In  a  letter  written  Feb.  24  to  my  father 
and  mother,  concerning  the  approaching  term,  I  wrote  : 

James  A.  Garfield,  of  Orange,  Cuyahoga  county,  will  be  back.  I 
believe  I  have  written  to  you  of  him  as  being  one  of  the  number  ones  of 
last  term.  I  like  him  the  best  of  any  one  of  the  students  with  whom  I 
have  become  acquainted.  He  will  distinguish  himself,  if  he  lives.  I 
suppose  he  will  be  a  preacher,  and  if  so  he  will  be  a  superior  one. 

On  the  2nd  of  March  I  went  to  Chagrin  Falls  and 
Orange,  to  visit  Mr.  Garfield  and  the  Boyntons,  and 
other  school  friends.  I  found  Mr.  Garfield  at  Dr.  A. 
Harlow's  "Writing  Academy,"  as  he  called  it,  taking 
lessons  in  penmanship  and  pen  drawing.  In  this  as  in 
everything  else  he  was  making  wonderful  progress.  It 
had  occurred  to  him  that  he  could  fit  himself  to  teach 
penmanship  by  taking  a  four  weeks'  course,  and  thus 
earn  some  money  while  attending  school  at  Hiram ; 
and  the  result  fully  justified  his  expectations.  He 
became  an  excellent  penman,  and  taught  writing  not 
only  at  Hiram,  but  while  a  student  some  years  later  in 
Williams  College.  I  spent  a  week  at  Orange  and 
Chagrin  Falls,  and  enjoyed  myself  very  much.  The 
Boynton  family  was  one  of  those  delightful  circles  which 
are  the  glory  and  pride  of  our  country.  The  father, 
Amos  Boynton,  was  a  noble  specimen  of  the  American 
farmer  ;  fairly  educated,  and  of  fine  native  ability.  His 
wife  was  the  sister  of  the  mother  of  James  A.  Garfield, 


48  REMINISCENCES    OF 

a  Ballou ;  and  the  three  sons  and  three  daughters  were 
all  of  excellent  habits  and  character,  devoted  to  each 
other  and  to  their  father  and  mother.  Of  the  sons,  Dr. 
Silas  A.  Boynton  became  widely  known  from  his  faith- 
ful attendance  upon  his  illustrious  cousin  during  the 
eighty  days  he  lay  struggling  with  death.  The  young- 
est daughter,  Cordelia,  also  became  known  to  the  pub- 
lic through  her  tragic  death.  Both  she  and  her  uncle, 
Thomas  Garfield,  were  killed  by  the  cars  in  1881. 

During  this  visit  I  also  became  acquainted  with 
Grandma  Garfield,  as  she  is  usually  called.  She  was 
then  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  though  very  small  in 
stature,  she  seemed  a  worthy  mother  of  her  stalwart 
son.  She  was  living  with  her  oldest  son,  Thomas,  on 
the  old  farm.  I  was  very  cordially  treated  by  all,  as 
the  friend  and  class-mate  of  James.  I  made  many 
pleasant  acquaintances,  and  at  the  end  of  the  week  re- 
turned to  Chardon.  It  was  during  this  visit  that  I  first 
met  the  talented  daughter  of  the  great  pioneer  preacher, 
William  Hayden,  a  brother  of  the  President  of  the 
Eclectic.  She  is  mentioned  in  some  of  the  letters  of 
Mr.  Garfield,  of  whom  she  was  a  life-long  friend.  She 
married  Wallace  Collins,  who  died  many  years  ago,  and 
for  several  years  she  has  resided  at  Hiram,  while  edu- 
cating her  two  sons  and  daughter.  She  is  still  a  widow. 
Her  brother,  Alexander  Hayden,  was  the  first  husband 
of  Cordelia  Boynton.  After  his  death  she  married  a 
man  named  Arnold,  with  whom  I  was  not  acquainted. 

On  the  19th  of  March,  1852,  I  started  for  Hiram, 
and  on  the  20th  commenced  boarding  at  Mr.  Zeb 
Rudolph's. 

On  Monday,  March  22,  the  term  opened,  and  about 
forty  students  were  enrolled,    among  whom  was   Mr. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  49 

Garfield.  The  class  in  Sallust  consisted  of  Symonds 
Ryder,  Jr.,  J.  A.  Garfield  and  myself.  Our  first  lesson 
was  three  pages,  and  we  decided  to  complete  the  author 
in  seven  weeks. 

On  the  1st  of  April  Mr.  Garfield  was  not  well,  and 
the  next  day  we  discovered  that  he  had  the  measles. 
On  the  night  of  the  4th,  at  10  o'clock,  I  wrote  a  letter 
to  my  mother,  of  which  the  following  are  the  opening 
sentences : 

You  will  think  I  am  writing  at  rather  an  unseasonable  hour,  but  I 
am  watching  by  the  sick  bed  of  James  A.  Garfield.  He  is  here,  some 
twenty  miles  from  home,  and  is  very  sick  with  the  measles.  Still,  he  is 
getting  along  very  well,  and  we  think  is  now  near  the  worst.  I  know 
you  would  like  him,  and  if  you  come  here  you  will  be  sure  to  get 
acquainted,  for  he  thinks  as  much  of  me  as  I  do  of  him.  He  is  really 
a  noble  fellow ;  talented  far  above  the  generality  of  young  men,  of 
sound  principles,  he  must,  if  he  lives,  make  a  man  in  the  world,  and 
one  whose  influence    will  be  felt. 

Mr.  Garfield  was  very  sick  for  several*  days,  but  his 
cousin,  Henry  Boynton  (my  room-mate),  and -myself 
took  the  best  care  of  him  that  we  could,  and  on 
the  1 2th  he  was  able  to  resume  his  studies.  On  the 
30th  of  April  I  have  noted  that  our  lessons  were  as 
follows :  Three  pages  of  Sallust,  one  of  Virgil,  five  of 
geometry,  five  of  algebra  and  one  of  Latin  grammar. 
Besides  this  I  taught  a  class  in  Latin.  Some  of  my 
young  readers  will  infer  that  we  had  not  much  time  for 
mischief.  We  usually  studied  in  company,  and  I  am 
free  to  confess  that  our  amazing  progress  was  due  in  a 
large  measure  to  him.  His  wonderful  endurance  en- 
abled him  to  work  almost  unceasingly,  and  I  was  at  that 
time  very  ambitious  not  to  be  a  drag  upon  the  class, 
and  managed  to  complete  the  task  assigned  us  without 
any  discredit.      The  first  four  weeks  of  the  term,  not- 


5<D  REMINISCENCES    OF 

withstanding  the  interruption  occasioned  by  Mr.  Gar- 
field's sickness,  we  read  seventy-two  chapters  of  Sallust, 
and  learned  seventy-five  pages  each  of  Legendre's 
Geometry  and  Bourdon's  Algebra,  besides  the  grammar, 
review  of  Virgil,  etc.  We  were  all  very  proud  of  our 
work. 

In  these  days,  when  every  school  devotes  special 
attention  to  music,  it  will  appear  astonishing  that  in 
such  an  institution  as  the  Eclectic,  with  an  attendance 
of  not  less  than  175  ladies  during  the  school  year,  there 
was  not  a  piano  in  Hiram.  The  only  musical  instru- 
ment owned  by  the  school  was  called  a  "  melopean  ;  " 
a  few  of  the  ladies  took  lessons  upon  it.  President 
Hayden  was  a  fine  singer,  and  classes  were  taught  in 
vocal  music,  but  entirely  without  the  aid  of  an  instru- 
ment. We  were  allowed  to  call  upon  our  lady  friends 
at  certain  times,  and  Mr.  Garfield  usually  found  time  to 
avail  himself  6f  such  opportunity.  He  was  very  fond 
of  music,  and  we  seldom  failed,  when  the  rules  per- 
mitted us  to  do  so,  to  visit  the  Raymond  boarding 
house  to  hear  Misses  Sarah  A.  Soule,  Julia  Soule  and 
Hattie  Storer  play  and  sing.  The  old  songs,  long  since 
obsolete — "  Lillie  Dale,"  "  Don't  you  remember  sweet 
Alice,  Ben  Bolt?"  "Tell  me,  ye  winged  wings," 
"Woodman,  spare  that  tree,"  "Blue  Junietta, "  etc. — 
were  our  great  favorites.  The  queenly  and  beautiful 
Sarah  lies  under  the  sod  in  Michigan,  where  she  has 
slept  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century. 

Late  at  night,  after  an  evening  thus  spent,  I  wrote 
these  lines : 

AMBITION'S   DREAM. 

My  brain  is  throbbing  heavily  to-night, 
And  spirits  of  the  dead  past  hover  round 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  5  I 

And  whisper  burning  words  unto  my  soul, 

Dreams  of  the  glorious  future,  brighter  far 

Than  fairy  visions  of  the  days  of  yore. 

My  hand  seems  gifted  with  Omnipotence  ! 

Oh !  tell  me  not  that  man  is  weak  and  frail, 

The  creature  of  a  day,  that  fades  and  dies 

And  disappears  e'en  as  the  summer  flowers. 

The  Almighty's  hand  bestowed  the  priceless  boon 

Of  immortality  upon  him,  and 

The  hidden  fire  that  blazes  in  his  soul 

Is  brighter  than  the  sun  that  shines  in  heaven  : 

Thoughts,  burning  thoughts,  are  flashing  thro'  my  brain  : 

Ambition's  all-consuming  fire  inflames 

My  soul!  Oh!  I  would  soar  to  heights  beyond 

The  loftiest  spot  that  man  has  ever  reached  ! 

Yea,  like  Jove's  bird,  with  daring  pinions  rise 

Till  I  could  disappear  among  the  clouds, 

The  glittering  clouds  within  the  heaven  of  heaven, 

Then  gaze  upon  a  world  beneath  my  feet. 

I'd  weave  my  banner  of  the  sunset  clouds, 

Stripe  it  with  heaven's  own  blue,  yea,  paint  its  folds 

With  sunbeams,  and  its  stars  should  be  orbs 

That  twinkle  in  the  far-off  midnight  sky. 

And  when  grim  Death  should  summon  me  to  sleep 

I  'd  shroud  my  form  in  this,  and  then  I  'd  die. 

My  pall  should  be  "  the  raven  wing  of  night ;" 

The  wild  winds  and  the  thunder's  voice  should  chant 

For  me  an  everlasting  requiem. 

Then  willingly  I  'd  bid  the  world  adieu. 

But,  oh !   to  die  and  be  forgotten  !   this 

Is  tenfold  death !  to  pass  away  and  leave 

No  mark  to  tell  the  world  that  I  have  lived ! 

I  could  not  sleep  in  peace  even  in  the  grave, 

Were  I  to  know  that  none  remembered  me. 

Then  grant,  O  Ruler  in  the  heavens  above, 

That  I  may  live  till  I  have  done  some  deed 

To  clothe  my  name  with  immortality. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

JOSEPH    TREAT. FAMILY    OF    ZEB    RUDOLPH. END    OF 

SPRING    TERM. 

Early  in  May,  1852,  a  strolling  lecturer  named 
Joseph  Treat,  came  to  Hiram.  He  was  a  miniature 
edition  of  the  Bob  Ingersoll  style  of  philosopher.  He 
had  less  brains,  but  this  want  was  more  than  balanced 
by  his  impudence  and  egotism.  He  had  read  Paine's 
"  Age  of  Reason,"  possibly  a  few  chapters  of  Gibbon's 
"Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire,"  and  the 
works  of  Andrew  Jackson  Davis.  Thus  armed  and 
equipped,  like  Goliah  of  Gath,  he  went  about  the  coun- 
try defying  the  armies  of  the  living  God ;  boasting  of 
his  power  to  overthrow  Christianity  and  bring  discredit 
upon  all  its  adherents.  Of  course,  many  of  the  stu- 
dents turned  out  to  hear  him.  At  the  close  of  each 
speech  he  was  accustomed  to  challenge  any  one  in  the 
audience  to  answer  him,  but  for  several  evenings  no 
one  accepted  his  challenge.  But  one  night  we  pre- 
vailed upon  Prof.  Munnell  to  answer  him.  But  we  all 
felt  that  he  was  not  fitted  for  such  an  encounter.  The 
Professor  was  a  splendid  Kentucky  gentleman,  con- 
scientious, cultured,  earnest,  honest,  reverent  and  sin- 
cere. He  was  not  the  man  to  deal  with  a  braggart,- 
who  could  swagger  and  amuse  the  unthinking,  and  raise 
a  laugh  at'the  holiest  principles  of  truth  without  com- 
punction  and  without  a  blush.      So,    finally,    we  pre- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  53 

vailed  upon  Mr.  Garfield  to  agree  to  avail  himself  of  the 
first  opportunity  to  give  the  fellow  such  a  drubbing  as 
we  all  knew  he  was  capable  of  administering.  The 
opportunity  soon  came.  Very  many  of  the  students 
were  present,  as  all  were  expecting  the  encounter. 

I  do  not  think  Mr.  Treat  had  any  intimation  of  what 
was  to  come.  He  had  been  able  to  raise  a  laugh  at 
the  expense  of  the  courteous  Munnell,  and  felt  that  he 
had  gained  a  victory.  He  made  a  most  venemous 
attack  upon  the  Bible,  and  charged  all  who  believed  it 
with  the  grossest  credulity.  He  boasted  of  the  supe. 
riority  of  unbelievers  over  the  superstitious  multitude 
who  received  as  true  the  fables  of  a  savage  age,  and 
used  all  his  powers  of  ridicule  against  all  who  accepted 
the  teaching  of  the  Scriptures.  He  also  attacked  the 
reliability  of  the  translations  of  the  Scriptures,  showing 
that  the  Bible  was  written  in  Hebrew  and  Greek,  and 
affirming  that  it  had  been  translated  to  suit  the  notions 
of  designing  and  dishonest  priests,  and  was  wholly  un- 
reliable either  as  history  or  revelation.  He  closed  with 
his  usual  challenge  to  any  one  to  answer  his  indictment. 

Mr.  Garfield  arose  and  said  that  he  had  listened 
with  great  attention  to  the  gentleman's  speech,  and 
hardly  knew  what  to  say  in  answer,  but  he  would  like 
to  ask  him  one  question.  Would  he  be  so  kind  as  to 
tell  the  audience  what  was  the  present  participle  of  the 
verb  to  be,  in  Greek,  or  in  other  words,  the  Greek  word 
to  correspond  with  the  English  word  "being"?  Mr. 
Treat  made  no  answer,  and  Mr.  Garfield  repeated  his 
question  and  challenged  him  to  answer,  but  the  poor 
man  did  not  know.  Then,  turning  to  the  audience,  he 
asked  them  what  they  thought  of  a  man  traveling  over 
the  country  criticising  the  work  of  the  world's  great 


54  REMINISCENCES    OF 

scholars,  when  he  did  not  know  the  very  first  thing-  the 
school-boy  learned  in  his  Greek  grammar.  He  took 
pains  to  explain  to  the  audience  that  he  did  not  re- 
proach the  gentleman  because  he  had  no  knowledge  of 
the  Greek,  but  because  he  sought  to  overthrow  the 
Christian  faith  and  dethrone  the  Christian's  God,  while 
passing  himself  off  under  false  colors — pretending  to 
knowledge  he  did  not  possess.  He  showed  how  the 
lecturer  and  such  men  as  he  labored  only  to  destroy; 
they  proposed  no  substitute  for  the  Christian  religion  ; 
they  would  rob  us  of  the  faith  we  learned  in  cradle 
hymns,  and  at  our  mother's  knee,  and  leave  us  without 
a  chart  or  guide,  sailing  upon  an  unknown  sea.  He 
then  uttered  a  most  impassioned  eulogy  upon  the  Bible 
as  the  source  of  civilization,  the  creed  of  all  the  mighty 
nations  ;  the  accepted  moral  guide  of  all  the  grandest 
men  in  history ;  the  only  light  through  a  dark  world  to 
lead  a  suffering  and  a  sorrowing  race  to  the  blessed 
hills  of  eternal  life  and  peace. 

It  is  impossible  for  me  to  give  any  idea  of  his 
speech  or  of  its  effect  upon  "his  audience.  Before  he 
had  spoken  five  minutes  he  had  the  sympathy  of  almost 
the  entire  assemblage,  and  the  applause  was  constant 
and  deafening,  until  he  began  his  eloquent  eulogy  of  the 
sacred  volume  ;  then  the  audience  became  as  orderly 
and  quiet  as  a  religious  assembly.  He  spoke  with  a 
readiness  and  power  and  eloquence  which  were  per- 
fectly overwhelming.  I  do  not  think  Mr.  Treat  ever 
attempted  another  speech  at  Hiram. 

I  have  already  stated  that  I  boarded  during  this 
term  in  the  family  of  Mr.  Zeb.  Rudolph.  The  family 
consisted  of  Mr.  Rudolph,  his  wife  and  four  children: 
Lucretia,    John,    Joseph   and    Ellen.      Lucretia   was   at 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  55 

this  time  about  nineteen  years  old.  The  other  children 
were  younger,  Ellen  being,  as  I  remember  her,  some 
nine  or  ten.  Lucretia  was  absent  part  of  the  term, 
teaching  a  small  district  school,  some  two  and  a  half 
miles  north  of  Hiram.  She  was  at  home  each  week, 
over  Sunday,  and  we  became  pretty  well  acquainted, 
though  at  that  time  I  remember  thinking  her  a  little 
diffident  and  hard  to  get  acquainted  with.  But  later  I 
changed  my  mind  somewhat,  and  learned  to  appreciate 
her  very  highly.  Mr.  Rudolph  was  very  highly  re- 
spected by  every  one.  He  was  a  preacher,  often  filling 
the  pulpit  at  Hiram;  he  was  slow  spoken  ;  logical  rather 
than  eloquent,  and  could  not  always  command  the  un- 
divided attention  of  his  younger  hearers.  But  of  his 
sincere  piety  and  sterling  honesty  no  one  had  the 
slightest  question.  His  wife  was  a  sweet-faced,  moth- 
erly woman,  quiet  and  apparently  even  tempered,  and 
beloved  by  all. 

During  this  term  of  school  my  intimacy  with  Mr. 
Garfield  had  greatly  increased.  Almost  all  our  lessons 
were  studied  together,  and  frequently  Ave  spent  the 
night  at  each  other's  room.  Under  date  of  May  29, 
1852,  I  have  noted  in  my  journal:  "Stayed  all  night 
with  Garfield  at  the  seminary.  We  lay  awake  a  little 
while  and  talked."  In  fact,  we  not  unfrequently  spent 
most  of  the  night  in  such  conversation.  He  would  tell 
me  the  stories  of  his  boyhood,  of  his  hard  struggles 
and  his  hopes ;  of  his  life  on  the  canal,  and  at  the  car- 
penter's bench,  and  the  incidents  of  the  two  preceding 
years  at  Chester.  With  no  other  man  was  I  ever  so 
intimately  associated. 

Early  in  June  the  appointments  were  made  for  the 
annual  exhibition,  which  was  to  come  off  at  the  close 


$6  REMINISCENCES    OF 

of  the  term,  June  25.  I  was  designated  for  an  oration, 
and  Miss  Booth,  Mr.  Garfield  and  myself  were  ap- 
pointed to  write  an  original  colloquy  or  dialogue,  and 
assist  in  its  presentation.  In  his  eulogy  on  Miss 
Booth,  which  is  found  in  his  published  works,  Mr. 
Garfield  ascribes  more  of  the  credit  for  this  colloquy  to 
Miss  Booth  than  I  think  was  really  her  due,  though  she 
wrote  quite  a  portion  of  it,  and  aided  in  shaping  its 
general  outline.  But  many  of  the  finest  passages  were 
written  by  Mr.  Garfield,  and  his  acting  in  the  principal 
part  was  highly  applauded  by  an  audience  of  fifteen 
hundred  people,  though  I  do  not  mean  to  assert  that 
they  were  critical  judges. 

The  students  all  liked  Miss  Booth,  and  some  of  us, 
at  least,  recognized  her  fine  abilities  ;  but  it  is  a  fact, 
which  can  not  now  give  pain,  that  we  regarded  her  as 
exceedingly  homely.  She  was  rather  above  the  medium 
size,  and  very  coarse  in  her  features.  She  was  not  very 
particular  as  to  her  dress ;  seemed  to  care  nothing  for 
ornament ;  had  more  interest  in  the  problems  of  Euclid 
than  in  her  personal  appearance.  We  boys  thought 
Miss  Clark  almost  a  beauty,  but  the  unanimous  vote 
would  have  been  that  Miss  Booth  was  very  plain. 

I  will  venture  to  transcribe  from  my  journal  my 
notes  upon  the  exhibition,  June  25,   1852: 

A  cool,  pleasant  day.  About  fifteen  hundred  persons  present  and 
everything  went  oft'  first  rate.  The  celebrated  vocalists,  "  The  Spen- 
cers," were  present  and  sang  a  farewell  song.  Nearly  all  the  speakers 
did  tolerably  well,  but  ihis  could  not  be  said  of  all.  Miss  Calista  O. 
Carleton  surpassed  all  the  ladies  and  James  A.  Garfield  did  nobly. 
Henry  Boynton's  piece  was  first  rate  ;  also  several  others.  The  colloquy 
went  off  very  well,  and  everybody  is  praising  it.  On  the  whole,  the 
exhibition  was  very  good,  and  a  fair  exponer.t  of  the  talent  of  the 
school.      Miss  Mary  L.  Hubbell,  of  Warrensville,  was  present. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  57 

The  Spencer  Family  gave  a  conceit  in  the  evening  at  the  chapel  of 
the  Institute,  which  I  attended  in  company  with  Miss  Lucretia  Rudolph. 
A  very  fair  performance,  but  too  many  of  the  pieces  were  of  a  trivial 
character  to  suit  the  sober  and  thinking.  A  word  as  to  Miss  Rudolph. 
I  find  upon  a  more  intimate  acquaintance  that  she  is  in  every  respect, 
a  very  superior  girl.  She  has  very  few  equals  in  this  world,  in  all  re- 
spects. Intellectual,  educated,  sober,  dignified  and  refined,  she  comes 
very  near  to  my  ideal  of  what  a  lady  should  be.  I  have  never  met  with 
a  more  sensible  girl,  and  her  principles  are  well  established :  she  is  a 
Christian.  As  to  her  personal  appearance,  she  is  tidy  in  her  dress, 
pleasing  in  countenance  and  engaging  in  her  manners.  She  has  none 
of  that  pomp  and  pride  which  are  characteristic  of  our  would-be  ladies 
— no  affectation — but  is  in  reality  what  she  pretends  to  be.  It  is  very 
seldom  that  I  have  liked  a  lady  better  for  having  lived  in  the  same 
house  with  her,  for  this  discloses  the  secret  character :  discovers  to  us 
what  one  really  is ;  but  with  Lucretia  I  am  much  better  pleased  than  I 
was  before  I  became  so  well  acquainted.  Miss  Hubbell  accompanied 
Mr.  Garfield  to  the  concert. 

The  summary  of  the  work  of  our  class  (Symonds 
Ryder,  Jr.,  James  A.  Garfield,  myself,  and  a  few  others 
part  of  the  time),  is  as  follows:  all  of  Sallust,  three 
books  of  the  ALneid  of  Virgil,  and  six  orations  of 
Cicero;  200  pages  of  Latin  grammar,  geometry,  and 
Bourdon's  algebra  from  equations  of  the  second  degree. 
We  all  congratulated  ourselves  upon  our  progress, 
which  our  teachers  assured  us  was  rather  extraordinary. 
In  a  letter  to  my  father  and  mother,  I  wrote : 

Prof.  Munnell  says  he  never  saw  a  class  do  as  well  in  Latin  as  we 
have,  and  James  A.  Garfield  and  myself  have  recited  more  than  any 
other  three  every  day  this  term.  James  is  a  perfect  giant;  we  get 
along  first  rate.  He  sometimes  says  he  wishes  we  were  in  a  class  by 
ourselves.  I  think  if  this  had  been  the  case  we  should  have  read 
about  one-third  more  than  we  have.  In  geometry,  James  and  I  were 
beginners,  and  the  only  ones  in  the  class  that  had  not  been  over  it 
once,  or  were  only  reviewing ;  but  we  have  managed  to  keep  up.  So 
in  everything  else :  we,  and  one  or  two  others,  go  ahead,  and  the  rest 
follow — sometimes  at  quite  a  distance. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

VACATION. MR.  GARFIELD  AND  I  WORK  AT  HOUSE-BUILD- 
ING.  FALL  TERM  OF  1 85  2. — BOARDING  CLUB. IM- 
PROBABLE   STORIES. 

The  spring  term  of  the  Eclectic  closed,  as  I  have 
already  stated,  June  25,  1852,  and  was  followed  by  a 
vacation  of  two  months.  None  of  the  non-resident 
students,  as  far  as  I  remember,  remained  at  Hiram 
duiing  this  vacation,  except  Philip  Burns,  Mr.  Garfield 
and  myself.  Mr.  A.  S.  Kilby  was  building  a  house 
near  the  Eclectic,  and  a  Mr.  Buckingham  one  about 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  north.  Mr.  Garfield  engaged  to 
work  for  Mr.  Kilby  at  seventy-five  cents  a  day  and 
board,  and  I  made  a  similar  contract  with  Mr.  Buck- 
ingham, at  the  same  price.  I  think  we  both  earned 
our  wages.  I  find  in  my  journal  that  I  spent  at  least 
eight  nights  during  the  two  months  with  him  at  Mr. 
Kilby's,  and  he  spent  nearly  as  many  with  me  at  my 
employer's.  I  have  also  noted  a  number  of  calls 
upon  Miss  Rudolph,  and  have  an  extended  note  of  a 
visit  made  in  his  company  to  his  home  in  Orange,  upon 
which  occasion  I  was  obliged  to  console  myself  for  a 
time  with  the  company  of  his  excellent  cousin,  Hattie 
Boynton,  while  he  paid  a  visit  to  Miss  Mary  L.  Hub- 
bell. 

I  do   not  wish  to   convey  the  impression  that  my 

acquaintance  with   Miss  Rudolph  was  more  than  such 

58 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  '59 

friendly  intimacy  as  may  exist  between  a  really  sensi- 
ble, talented  girl,  who  has  not  completed  her  education, 
and  a  young  man  ambitious  to  become  a  good  scholar, 
yet  wholly  dependent  upon  his  own  exertions,  and  con- 
scious of  the  folly  of  any  entangling  alliances  to  inter- 
fere with  his  cherished  plans.  That  I  had  a  very 
sincere  admiration  for  her,  as  one  of  the  noblest  girls  I 
had  ever  known,  I  do  not  care  to  deny;  but  my  visits 
were  not  of  the  love-making  kind.  I  was  very  grateful 
for  the  kindness  I  received  from  her  father  and  mother, 
as  well  as  from  herself,  and  I  know  that  her  exalted 
ideas  and  sentiments  were  an  inspiration  and  a  stim- 
ulus, not  only  to  myself,  but  to  all  who  enjoyed  the 
honor  and  privilege  of  her  acquaintance. 

On  the  whole,  we  got  through  the  vacation  very 
pleasantly,  and  if  any  of  Mr.  Garfield's  biographers 
have  been  led  to  believe,  or  have  tried  to  make  others 
believe,  that  he  regarded  it  as  any  particular  hardship 
to  work  at  the  same  trade  as  did  the  Saviour  of  men  at 
his  lowly  home  at  Nazareth,  such  biographer  knows 
nothing  of  the  facts  or  of  the  man  of  whom  he  writes. 
We  used  to  lie  awake  nights  and  talk  of  the  past  and 
future,  and  build  air-castles;  we  were  both  young;  he 
was  strong  and  vigorous,  and  I  was  in  good  health  and 
very  hopeful,  and  we  spent  very  little  time  in  regret- 
ting that  we  had  not  plenty  of  money  we  had  not 
earned.  I  think  we  both  rather  prided  ourselves  on 
working  our  way,  and  we  knew  that  we  were  better 
scholars  than  those  whose  bills  were  paid  without  any 
exertion  on  their  own  part. 

On  Saturday,  the  3d  of  July,  Philip  Burns  and  I  went 
to  Warren,  Trumbull  county,  to  attend  the  celebra- 
tion of  Independence  Day  and  to  visit  one  of  our  school 


6d  reminiscences  of 

friends,  Mr.  Cyrus  Bosworth,  Jr.  The  celebration  oc- 
curred on  the  3d,  the  4th  being  Sunday.  Col.  Cyrus 
Bosworth,  the  father  of  our  friend,  had  a  beautiful  farm 
of  three  hundred  acres,  and  owned  more  than  a  thousand 
sheep.  On  Sunday,  the  4th,  we  attended  church  at 
Warren,  where  for  the  first  time  I  heard  Isaac  Errett. 
He  was  then  in  his  early  prime,  and  I  thought  him  one 
of  the  very  best  preachers  I  had  ever  heard.  I  have 
many  times  since  had  the  pleasure  of  listening  to  him, 
and  still  entertain  the  same  opinion,  which  was  duly 
chronicled  among  the  records  of  that  day. 

During  this  vacation  we  had  arranged  as  follows  for 
the  fall  term  :  We  secured  rooms  in  one  of  the  board- 
ing houses,  which  were  furnished  with  tables,  chairs, 
bedsteads  and  a  cooking  stove.  My  aunt,  at  Chardon, 
furnished  bedding  and  some  cooking  utensils,  table- 
ware, etc.;  and  my  cousins,  Sophronia  and  Maria 
Smith,  Mr.  Garfield,  my  brother,  Ceylon  C,  and  my- 
self made  up  the  boarding  club.  Part  of  the  furniture 
James  and  I  manufactured  out  of  old  boxes,  etc.  We 
made  up  a  very  happy  family.  It  was  my  misfortune 
to  be  sick  about  two  weeks  in  the  early  part  of  the 
term,  and  James  took  me  to  the  home  of  some  of  my 
friends  at  Chardon.  I  was  very  kindly  cared  for  by  my 
aunt,  Mrs.  Lucia  Cowles,  mother  of  Clifford  S.  Cowles, 
now  of  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  the  general  agent  of  the 
Royal  Fire  Insurance  Company.  James  stayed  with 
me  a  day  or  two,  and  then  returned  to  Hiram.  The 
term  opened  August  23,  1852.  James  taught  several 
classes,  but  still  continued  his  own  studies.  He  con- 
tinued to  teach  in  the  Eclectic  during  every  term  until 
he  left  for  Williams    College,  and   the  stories  that  his 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  6 1 

biographers  tell  of  his  working  ' '  for  the  village  carpen- 
ter "  are  mythical. 

The  following  letter,  dated  Sept.  22,  1852,  I  re- 
ceived during  the  absence  I  have  noted  above : 

Dear  Cotydon  : — Having  opportunity  to  send  a  word  to  you  by  Mr. 
Rexford,  I  will  improve  it  now — about  ten  o'clock — after  having  read 
my  Horace. 

We  (the  firm)  are  in  usual  health,  and  getting  along  as  well  as  can 
be  expected,  seeing  that  we  are  deprived  of  one  of  the  trio.  Several 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  house  are  unwell,  and  C.  D.  Wilber  is  quite 
sick  with  the  intermittent,  or  perhaps,  typhoid  fever.  I  fear  it  will  be 
sickly  here.  Everything  is  moving  on  in  good  order,  with  five  new 
names  added  to  the  list,  among  which  are  S.  P.  Merrifield  and  Laura 
Beaman,  alias  Clara  Modelle. 

A  few  mornings  ago  Sutton  gave  some  of  both  sexes  a  regular  going 
over  for  breaking  rules.  The  one  particularly  flayed  was  Mr.  E.  Harnit. 

I  have  had  one  or  two  glorious  opportunities  to  castigate  our  com- 
mon enemy  in  Horace,  and  I  have  improved  them. 

I  have  a  private  class  in  penmanship  of  about  twenty-seven,  be- 
sides Sutton's  large  class  of  sixty.  This  latter  class  coming  at  the  same 
hour  with  trigonometry,  I  concluded  to  leave  the  class  till  they  got  to 
surveying,  and  then  go  in  again.  Ceylon  has  received  news  from 
home ;  your  mother  got  there  safe  and  found  them  well.  They  talk 
strongly  of  coming  here.  He  also  took  a  letter  from  the  office  for  you, 
from  youi  friend   Rhodes,  now   attending  Rochester  University,  N.  Y. 

I  hope  you  will  soon  be  able  to  be  with  us,  for  we  are  lonesome. 
Please  excuse  this  poor,  prosy,  matter-of-fact  letter,  for  I  am  very  tired, 
and  the  nodding  Morpheus  invites  me  to  his  drowsy  embrace.  Give 
my  kind  regards  to  your  friends  with  whom  I  am  acquainted,  and  ac- 
cept the  warmest  wishes  of  James. 

The  worst  fears  in  reference  to  the  illness  of  C.  D. 
Wilber  were  more  than  realized.  He  lay  for  several 
weeks  the  victim  of  typhoid  fever,  and  when  at  last  he 
began  to  regain  his  health,  it  was  found  that  he  had 
temporarily  lost  his  reason.  He  imagined  himself  very 
wealthy,  and  was  ready  to  purchase  everything  which 
could  be  bought.      He  engaged  the  entire  products  of 


62  REMINISCENCES    OF 

* 

several  orchards,  to  be  delivered  at  the  Institute ;  he 
bought  several  horses  and  carriages,  a  jewelry  store, 
etc.  He  went  about  singing  a  new  and  original  ver- 
sion of  "Old  Grimes  is  dead."  As  I  remember,  it  was 
something  like  this : 

Old  Grimes  est  mortuus, 
That  agathos  old  anthropos ; 
He  wore  an  old  togam 
All  ante-buttoned  down. 

No  one  seemed  to  have  any  influence  over  him  ex- 
cept James.  He  could  manage  him,  and  finally  took 
him  home,  where,  happily,  he  fully  recovered  his  mind. 
He  became  the  Superintendent  of  the  Illinois  Scientific 
Survey,  and  was  the  founder  of  the  Museum  of  Geology 
and  Natural  History  of  that  State.  He  graduated  at 
Williams  College  in  1856,  and  ranks  among  the  lead- 
ing scientific  men  of  the  day,  having  received  the 
honorary  degree  of  LL.  D.  His  friends  may  well  re- 
joice that  the  eclipse  of  his  mind  at  that  time  was  only 
temporary. 

On  my  return  to  Hiram,  on  the  7th  of  October,  I 
had  the  pleasure  of  hearing  a  speech  by  Horace  Gree. 
ley.  The  following  were  my  notes  concerning  him 
and  his  speech  :  "In  the  afternoon,  listened  to  Horace 
Greeley,  editor  of  the  New  York  Tribune,  in  a  speech 
of  two  and  a  half  hours.  He  is  a  great  man,  but  does 
not  look  at  all  as  I  had  supposed.  He  is  a  very  good 
natured  looking  man,  perhaps  thirty-eight  years  old, 
bald-headed,  and  what  hair  he  has  is  very  light  colored, 
and  sandy  whiskers.  His  eyes  are  very  small,  and  he 
is  sometimes  troubled  for  words,  but  still  he  is  a  very 
good  speaker,  and  I  have  gained  many  new  ideas  from 
him."     In  a  letter  to  my  father,  I  state  the  further  fact 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  63 

that  ' '  he  wore  on  a  cord  a  brass  watch-key,  worth 
six-pence." 

In  Mr.  Garfield's  letter  he  mentions  "our  common 
enemy."  I  remember  very  well  our  feud,  but  am  now 
utterly  unable  to  tell  why  we  so  cordially  detested  the 
man  alluded  to.  I  think  we  both  hated  him.  He  was 
from  Pennsylvania,  and  as  I  remember  him,  of  a  morose 
and  quarrelsome  disposition,  though  a  very  good 
scholar.  He  was  the  only  student  with  whom  we  were 
not  on  friendly  terms,  and  it  seems  now,  after  the  lapse 
of  almost  a  third  of  a  century,  that  we  really  had  no 
very  good  excuse  for  our  enmity.  I  think  he  is  long 
since  dead. 

About  the  middle  of  October,  while  out  chestnut- 
ting  one  evening,  Mr.  Garfield  jumped  over  a  log,  and 
his  foot  striking  on  a  smooth,  round  stick,  his  ankle 
joint  was  so  terribly  sprained  that  for  several  days  he 
was  a  great  sufferer.  I  do  not  think  he  stepped  on  that 
foot  for  at  least  four  weeks,  but  went  about  on  crutches. 
Twenty  years  later  he  mentions,  in  one  of  his  letters  to 
me,  meeting  with  a  similar  accident.  For  two  or  three 
days  he  lay  on  the  rude  lounge  we  had  constructed, 
and  we  bathed  his  swollen  ankle  and  did  all  we  could 
to  relieve  his  suffering. 

I  suppose  the  Hiram  students  were  about  as  obe- 
dient to  rules  as  other  students  usually  are,  but  it  is 
certain  that  there  was  more  visiting  among  the  young 
gentlemen  and  ladies  than  the  faculty  approved.  After 
a  hard  day's  study  it  was  very  pleasant  for  the  young 
ladies  and  gentlemen  to  take  walks,  or  meet  for  a  visit, 
and  I  suppose  that  where  a  couple  of  hundred  young 
people  of  both  sexes  are  thus  associated  it  will  always 
require  a  pretty  strong  police  force  to  prevent  their 


64  REMINISCENCES    OF 

finding  some  way  to  enjoy  each  other's  company.  I 
know  that  the  efforts  of  the  teachers  at  Hiram  to 'pre- 
vent it  were  not  conspicuously  successful,  and  young 
people  will  forgive  Mr.  Garfield  for  being  about  as  will- 
in"-  to  enjoy  such  occasions  as  any  one  else.  The 
Boynton  girls  were  his  cousins;  the  Smith  girls  were 
my  cousins,  and  we  had  a  great  many  other  second 
cousins  or  more  distant  relatives,  mostly  by  adoption. 
We  did  not  like  to  be  partial,  so  we  visited  them  all. 

I  remember  one  occasion  when  one  young  lady  had 
an  experience  which  most  persons  would  have  disliked, 
but  which  she  took  with  surprising  coolness.  She  had 
been  at  a  card-party  at  a  place  which  was  not  in  favor 
with  the  faculty,  and  had  been  detected  in  some  false- 
hoods concerning  the  matter.  At  the  morning  exer- 
cises, where  the  whole  school  were  assembled,  after  the 
close  of  the  services,    President  Hayden  said,    "Miss 

,  please   arise."     She   stood   up  and   looked 

about  wholly  unabashed.  He  went  on  to  state  what 
he  had  learned,  and  to  give  her  a  very  severe  repri- 
mand. He  then  dismissed  the  students,  to  go  to  their 
several  classes.  We  passed  out  of  the  chapel  into  the 
hall,  and  the  young  lady  came  tripping  along,  and  as 
she  reached  the  place  where  perhaps  a  dozen  of  us  were 
standing,  she  said : 

"I  think  the  President  was  rather  personal  in  his 
remarks  this  morning." 

Notwithstanding  the  intimacy  between  the  students, 
I  do  not  remember  of  a  single  scandal  while  I  was  con- 
nected with  the  Eclectic.  It  is  true  there  were  a  large 
number  of  marriages  subsequently  between  the  stu- 
dents, but  I  do  not  know  that  any  of  them  were  less 
advantageous  than  those  resulting  from  acquaintance  in 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  65 

other  places.  I  am  sure  that  Mr.  Garfield,  even  with 
the  ripened  experience  of  years,  favored  schools  where 
both  sexes  were  admitted  and  allowed  to  compete 
freely  for  academic  honors. 

During  the  term  of  which  I  have  been  speaking 
there  was  a  great  amount  of  visiting,  but  so  far  as  I 
know  it  did  not  result  in  less  study  than  is  usual  in 
similar  schools.  We  made  excellent  progress,  and  did 
not  spend  as  much  time  in  our  visiting  as  young  men 
in  our  colleges  do  at  base  ball  and  other  sports.  I 
think  it  quite  probable  that  we  were  occasionally  guilty 
of  the  violation  of  wholesome  and  necessary  rules,  but 
as  I  am  telling  a  true  story,  I  can  not  conceal  even  that 
which  may  deserve  censure. 

We  had  no  base-ball  or  lawn-tennis ;  no  boating 
clubs ;  no  gymnasium.  Croquet  was  not  yet  invented. 
It  was  not  regarded  as  respectable  to  play  cards ;  as  I 
have  before  stated,  there  was  not  much  music,  though 
we  went  as  often  as  possible  to  enjoy  what  there  was. 
A  few  of  the  young  ladies  took  lessons  on  the  one  in- 
strument owned  by  the  school,  and  there  were  a  num- 
ber of  good  singers,  both  male  and  female. 

Mr.  Garfield  was  very  athletic.  He  could  easily 
throw  any  man  among  the  students,  and  could  jump 
further  than  any.  In  placing  a  heavy  weight,  he  had 
no  competitor.  He  was  fond  of  exercise  in  such  ways, 
though  he  spent  but  little  time  at  it.  He  said  that 
when  on  the  canal  he  learned  to  box,  and  had  to  whip 
a  man  or  two,  but  after  I  knew  him  I  never  heard  of 
his  having  a  quarrel  of  any  kind. 

There  is  a  story  to  be  found  in  most  of  his  biogra- 
phies about  his  going  to  Dr.  J.  P.  Robison  and  asking 
for  an  examination  so  as  to  know  whether  he  had  bet- 


66  REMINISCENCES    OF 

ter  take  a  course  of  study.  As  told,  the  story  is  pre- 
posterous, and  it  is  a  wonder  that  any  sensible  writer 
should  for  a  moment  believe  it.  I  heard  him  once 
laughing  about  the  story,  and  wondering  what  Mun- 
chausen tale  would  next  appear.  It  would  be  improb- 
able, if  told  of  any  one  ;  but  of  a  robust,  athletic  man, 
splendidly  endowed  by  nature  with  an  iron  constitu- 
tion, and  a  brain  as  large  as  that  of  Webster,  and  a 
will  that  laughed  at  difficulties  and  courted  even  dan- 
ger, that  such  a  man  should  gravely  go  to  some  physi- 
cian and  meekly  ask  him  to  decide  the  question  whether 
he  should  use  the  powers  tingling  in  every  nerve,  and 
bounding  in  every  heart  beat,  or  quietly  give  up  his 
glorious  hopes  and  crush  out  his  noble  ambition,  is  too 
ridiculous  for  sober  contemplation.  If  not  wholly  in- 
vented by  some  fruitful  fancy,  he  must  have  been 
making  fun  of  some  conceited  man,  whose  measure  he 
had  quietly  taken,  and  whom  he  had  determined  to 
flatter  for  his  own  amusement. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

DR.    HARLOW'S    WRITING     SCHOOL. LETTERS     FROM     MR. 

GARFIELD. TRUE  STORY  OF  HIS  INTIMACY  WITH   MARY 

L.    HUBBELL. 

The  fall  term  of  the  Eclectic  closed  Nov.  14,  1852. 
I  had  decided  to  spend  a  few  weeks  at  Dr.  Harlow's 
Writing  School,  at  Chagrin  Falls,  and  then  try  teaching 
penmanship,  rather  than  a  district  school,  as  my  experi- 
ence the  preceding  winter  had  been  so  distasteful  that 
I  then  thought  I  would  never  try  to  teach  again.  Ac- 
cordingly, I  went  directly  to  that  place  and  commenced 
my  work.  It  will  be  remembered  that  Mr.  Garfield 
had  spent  four  weeks  with  Dr.  Harlow  the  preceding 
spring.  One  of  his  biographers  puts  this  a  year  and  a 
half  too  early,  and  credits  the  Doctor  with  giving  him 
his  first  lessons  in  elocution.  This  is  a  great  mistake, 
as  I  have  all  the  dates,  from  my  journal  written  at  the 
time  and  on  the  spot.  In  fact,  every  date  I  shall  give 
can  be  relied  upon  as  positively  accurate.  Dr.  Harlow 
was  a  fine  penman,  but  in  nothing  else  did  he  excel. 
He  was  conceited,  somewhat  bombastic,  and  in  many 
respects  a  great  humbug.  His  instruction  was  all  right 
so  far  as  plain  penmanship  was  concerned,  but  his  so- 
called  drawing  and  painting  were  very  crude  and 
deceptive.  During  my  stay  at  Chagrin  Falls  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  visiting  again  my  friends,  the  Boyntons, 
whose  home  was  only  three  miles  distant.     I  also  made 


68  REMINISCENCES    OF 

the  acquaintance  of  the  venerable  Adamson  Bentley 
and  his  excellent  daughters,  Laura  and  Emily,  who 
treated  me  with  much  kindness.  William  A.  Boynton 
was  also  taking  writing  lessons  at  the  same  time. 

The  winter  term  at  Hiram  opened  Nov.  22.  James 
was  at  home  most  of  the  vacation,  but  when  it  expired 
he  returned  to  Hiram  to  take  his  place  as  one  of  the 
teachers,  as  well  as  to  pursue  his  own  studies.  He 
called  on  us  at  Dr.  Harlow's  frequently  before  his  re- 
turn, and  Dec.  4,  1852,  he  wrote  me  the  following 
letter : 

Dear  Coryon : — I  received  your  letter  in  due  time,  and  was  much, 
pleased  wtth  the  improvement  manifested  in  your  penmanship,  of 
course  knowing  that  a  person  never  does  his  best  in  a  letter.  My  health 
at  this  time  is  not  very  good.  The  school  is  in  full  operation,  with 
about  250  students  enrolled,  and  more  arriving  daily.  There  are  now 
thirty-two  classes  in  school,  besides  the  primary.  I  have  four  of  these — 
Senior  Grammar  and  Arithmetic,  the  former  of  sixty  and  the  latter  of 
eighty  members.  I  also  have  a  class  of  thirteen  commencing  Geometry 
and  a  class  of  eight  commencing  Greek.  These,  together  with  Horace 
and  the  Greek  Testament,  take  my  entire  time  and  energy. 

I  very  much  regret  that  you  can  not  be  here  to  go  on  with  your 
studies,  but  I  anticipate  great  things  for  you  in  your  penmanship 
excursion,  and  would  be  very  glad  to  take  one  also.  I  should  be  very 
glad  to  see,  and  hear  your  lecture,  but  I  can  now  judge  something  of 
its  merit  from  knowing  its  author.  Our  lyceum  has  started  as  favorably 
as  could  be  expected,  considering  the  timber  of  which  it  is  composed. 
We  have  admitted  three  members — Clayton,  Orris  Atwater  and  a  New 
Yorker  by  the  name  of  Pratt.  Atwater  will  be  ousted  this  evening, 
for  we  have  learned  that  he  joined  the  Eclectic  Lyceum  before  he  pro- 
posed his  name  for  admittance  into  ours.  There  are  now  ten  members 
and  we  shall  try  to  shut  down  the  gate  and  receive  no  more,  but  save 
a  vacant  place  for  the  old  members  next  spring,  so  as  not  to  have  it  too 
large  then. 

We  had  a  new  election,  on  motion  of  John  Horner,  for  he  said  he 
did  not  like  to  build  fires  such  cold  weather,  being  marshal.  The 
motion  being  carried,  both  for  this  and  another  reason,  viz.,  that  of 
getting  a  Pennsylvania  President,  we  proceeded  to  the  canvass.     John 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  69 

Harnit  and  another  man  were  up  as  candidates  for  the  last  named  office, 
and  an  Ohio  President  was  the  result.  This  much  for  that  part.  Har- 
rah  was  made  Secretary,  as  contemplated,  and  John  W.  Horner  was 
re-elected  as  Marshall  by  ihe  vote  of  every  member  except  himself, 
notwithstanding  his  aversion  to  building  fires. 

I  did  not  feel  the  spirit  that  filled  me  in  days  of  yore,  when  in  that 
body  I  was  surrounded  by  and  associated  with  congenial  spirits.  But 
now  I  feel  as  if  1  were  standing  alone  in  a  barren  waste,  with  here  and 
there  a  Bohan  Upas  with  its  adverse  atmosphere.  Hence  my  spirit  is 
dampened,  my  fire  extinguished.  Where  shall  yon  be  New  Year's 
evening?  We  have  decided  to  have  a  public  lyceum,  and  have  deferred 
it  till  that  time,  in  order  that  you  and  several  other  members  may  be 
here  if  possible.  Please  let  us  know  as  soon  as  possible  if  you  will  be 
here.  If  there  is  any  prospect  of  your  coming,  prepare  an  oration  for 
the  occasion.  We  expect  an  oration  from  Henry  and  another  from 
Ceylon  that  evening  also.  You  must  send  me  some  pieces  for  the  paper, 
2.  e.,  "The  Banner,"  for  I  want  its  folds  to  float,  though  lazily  till  the 
warm  breath  of  spring  and  the  warmer  breath  of  genius  shall  fling  it 
proudly  to  the  loftier  gales  of  the  literary  heavens.  But  enough  for  my 
lame  metaphor. 

You  are  aware  that  I  have  written  this  on  the  run,  and  you  will 
therefore  excuse  my  penmanship  and  composition.  Ceylon  has  just 
arrived  and  will  put  some  in  this  letter.  He  seems  in  fine  spirits  and 
circumstances ;  but  he  will  tell  you  the  particulars  of  his  school  and 
other  kindred  subjects.  Please  write  soon  and  report  progress  and  all 
the  concomitants.     Yours,  etc., 

James. 

The  "other  man"  who  was  a  candidate  for  Presi- 
dent of  the  lyceum  was  J.  A.  Garfield.  The  "Penn- 
sylvania" man  was  John  Harnit. 

My  term  of  lessons  with  Dr.  Harlow  ended  about 
the  middle  of  December,  and  my  first  writing  school 
was  at  Shalersville,  a  small  village  some  seven  or  eight 
miles  west  of  Hiram.  On  the  18th  I  went  to  Hiram 
and  spent  a  day  or  two  with  Mr.  Garfield.  Miss  Booth 
was  very  sick,  and  James  was  not  well.  The  following 
letter,  written  Dec.  17,  1852,  and  received  by  me  on 
my  return  to  Shalersville,  will  be  of  interest : 


JO  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Dear  Corydon: — Your  very  acceptable  letter  came  to  hand  yester- 
day. I  was  glad  to  learn  that  you  were  doing  so  well  and  had  so  good 
prospects ;  and  I  hope  you  may  succeed  to  the  extent  of  your  wishes 
and  hopes.  The  school  is  nourishing  finely  with  about  240  names.  I 
do  not  feel  very  well  yet,  and  hence  work  at  a  disadvantage  all  the  time 
thus  far.  I  am  alone  in  Greek,  John  Horner  and  Miss  Booth  being 
sick.  They  have  both  had  the  fever.  John  is  better,  but  will  not 
study  before  two  or  three  weeks.  Miss  Booth  is  yet  very  low  ;  but  if 
she  has  good  care  may  be  considered  as  nearly  out  of  danger.  Aside 
from  these,  the  health  of  this  vicinity  is  very  good.  I  have  not  yet 
started  a  writing  class,  and  don't  know  when  I  shall.  Brother  Errett 
commences  a  protracted  meeting  here  this  (Friday)  evening,  and  it  will 
continue  nine  or  ten  days.  We  expect  a  first-rate  time,  and  I  wish  you 
could  enjoy  it. 

We  have  decided  upon  New  Year's  day  and  evening  for  the  public 
lyceum.  The  discussion  will  come  off  in  the  afternoon  and  the  other 
exercises  in  the  evening.     The  order  for  the  exercises  is  like  this: 

Declamations W.  M.  Pratt,  O.  C.  Atwater,  W.  A.  Faddis. 

Essays ±..s± - Ellis  Rallou,  Ezra  Harnit. 

Scotch  Oration Philip  Burns. 

Paper W.  D.  Harrah,  Editor. 

Co-Editors - C.   C.    Foote,  J.  A.  Garfield 

German  Oration C.  C.  Foote. 

Orations H.  B.  Boynton,  C.  C.  Fuller,  S.  Ryder,  Jr  ,  C.  E.  Fuller. 

Instrumental  Music  Accompaniments. 

During  the  arranging  for  the  public  lyceum,  Mr.  John  Harnit,  of 
Pennsylvania,  moved  that  the  editors  of  the  "Banner"  be  required  to 
read  the  paper  at  a  private  lyceum,  one  week  before  the  public  one,  in 
order  that  the  members  might  criticise  it,  and  see  whether  all  were 
willing  that  the  pieces  should  be  read.  He  made  a  fiery  speech  in  favor 
of  his  resolution,  and  it  referred  to  that  piece  last  term  and  to  me  as  its 
author,  and  made  some  big  denunciations.  I  arose  and  made  a  short 
speech,  stating  that  "I  claimed  the  right  of  speaking,  discussing,  de- 
claiming or  writing  upon  whatever  subject  I  pleased,  and  should  do  so, 
and  was  willing  that  every  other  member  should  do  the  same."  The 
motion  was  put  and  lost,  to  his  great  chagrin  and  discomfiture,  and  we 
expect  to  insert  whatever  we  please,  and  read  it  too  ;  and  if  the  muse 
of  the  Keystone  State  goes  upon  another  hunting  excursion  they  intend 
to  "join  in  the  headlong  chase  to  hunt  that  bird,"  etc.  The  conclusion 
from  all  these  facts  is,  that  the  fires  of  hatred  were  only  smothered  for 
a  season  ;  or  in  other  words,  he  was  perfectly  flayed  and  whipped  into 
the    traces,    to   stay   there  only  till    another    opportunity  shall   present 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  7 1 

itself  of  raising  a  mutiny.  But  let  him  remember  that  he  has  had  only 
the  introduction,  and  the  body  of  the  work  is  at  his  service  at  any  day 
he  requests  it. 

I  hope  you  will  not  fail  of  coming  and  giving  us  a  New  Year's 
oration  and  making  a  social  visit.  There  is  a  matter  closely  connected 
with  my  future  destiny  about  which  1  would  gladly  fill  two  or  three 
sheets  to  you,  if  time  and  space  would  permit,  but  to  commence  now 
would  be  merely  an  aggravation  to  both  of  us.  1  presume  you  suspect 
what  it  is,  and  I  need  not  mention  it  now.  But  I  feel  that  there  must 
be  some  decided  action  taken  soon,  and  I  confess  I  hardly  see  where 
the  path  of  duty  and  justice  lies.  I  would  gladly  receive  advice  and 
suggestion  from  you  upon  that  subject.  Shall  the  inconsiderate  words 
and  actions  and  affections  of  thoughtless  youth  fasten  their  sad  conse- 
quences upon  the  whole  of  after  life?  Or  is  it  right  to  shake  them  off 
and  let  mature  judgment  revoke  the  false  decisions  of  verdant  youth  ? 
Corydon,  write  me  a  long  letter,  for  my  mind  is  at  a  culminating  point, 
the  decisions  of  which  will  tell  fearfully,  or  deeply  at  least,  upon  my 
future  destiny.      I  remain  as  ever,  your  friend,  JAMES. 

I  have  heretofore  alluded  to  our  differences  with 
John  Harnit,  and  explained  that  they  were  really  of 
trivial  importance.  In  after  years,  I  know  that  both 
Mr.  Garfield  and  myself  realized  that  we  had  only  slight 
cause  for  our  dislike  of  a  man  who  really  possessed 
many  good  qualities. 

I  have  also  spoken  of  the  intimacy  between  Mr. 
Garfield  and  Mary  L.  Hubbell,  which  was  too  well 
known  at  Hiram  to  be  any  betrayal  of  confidence  to 
speak  of  it  now.  The  winter  before  coming  to  Hiram 
(1850  and  '51),  he  taught  school  at  Warrensville,  and 
made  her  acquaintance,  she  being  one  of  his  pupils. 
The  following  autumn,  both  were  students  at  Hiram, 
and  their  regard  for  each  other  was  open  and  uncon- 
cealed. In  November,  185  I,  he  returned  to  Warrens- 
ville and  again  taught  the  public  school,  she  being  again 
his  pupil.  She  visited  Hiram  during  the  spring  term 
of  1852,  and   Mr.  Garfield   paid  her  at  least  one  visit 


J2  REMINISCENCES    OF 

during  the  vacation.  In  August,  1852,  she  again  at- 
tended the  Eclectic,  and  also  the  succeeding  winter. 
Up  to  this  time,  it  had  been  generally  supposed  at 
Hiram  that  they  were  formally  engaged,  though  such 
was  not  the  fact. 

Miss  Hubbell  was  a  bright,  sprightly  girl  of  fair 
ability,  but  in  no  sense  suitable  for  such  a  man  as 
Garfield.  This  we  all  felt,  and  greatly  wondered  at  his 
apparent  choice.  So  far  as  casual  acquaintances  could 
judge,  she  had  no  serious  thoughts  on  any  subject,  but 
was  always  ready  to  turn  any  topic  named  into  a  ridic- 
ulous channel.  She  was  witty  and  apt  at  repartee,  and 
could  at  all  times  and  on  all  occasions  raise  a  laugh, 
but  she  was  not  noted  for  scholarship  in  any  depart- 
ment. The  closing  sentences  of  the  letter  above  given 
show  that  at  its  date  he  had  become  fully  conscious  of 
his  mistake,  and  I  had  subsequently  many  long  and 
earnest  conversations  with  him  concerning  his  duty  in 
this  affair. 

As  already  stated,  I  was  at  Hiram  Dec.  18  (before 
the  letter  reached  me)  and  again  New  Year's,  1853. 
I  have  noted  in  my  journal  a  call.  January  2,  upon  Miss 
Hubbell,  in  company  with  Mr.  Garfield.  At  that  time 
he  had  not  reached  a  decision  as  to  his  future  action,  as 
will  appear  from  the  following  letter,  in  answer  to  one 
from  me,  written  to  him  after  my  return  to  Shalersville : 

Hiram,  January  19,  1853. 

Dear  Corydon : — Yours  of  the  14th  was  duly  and  thankfully  re- 
ceived, and  it  does  me  good  to  know  that  you  are  succeeding  so  well  in 
writing,  and  I  hope  that  your  success  may  still  continue,  and  meet  your 
sanguine  expectations. 

You  seem  to  be  a  true  prophet,  for  I  was  taken  sick  just  after  you 
left,  with  what  threatened  to  be  inflammation  of  the  brain  ;  and  was 
kept  from  my  classes  nearly  one  week,  but  by  free  use  of  cold  water  I 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  73 

■escaped  a  run  of  fever  and  am  now  above  ground  and  tolerably  well, 
though  not  very  strong  yet.  I  did  not  study  any  more  after  you  left, 
and  have  concluded  to  lay  aside  study  altogether  for  this  winter, 
according  to  your  suggestion  and  the  edict  of  brothers  Munnell  and 
Hayden  and  several  others. 

I  have  started  a  writing  class  and  have  already  had  five  schools. 
I  have  it  two  hours  in  succession  in  the  afternoon — from  I  to  3.  Some 
students  can  come  both  of  the  hours  and  some  only  one.  For  those 
that  come  one  hour  oniy  I  have  75  cents  each  day;  for  two  hours  $1.00. 
There  are  seventy  in  all ;  twenty-four  at  $1.00,  and  forty-six  at  75  cents. 
I  have  three  schools  per  week,  and  am  to  have  nine  more  in  all.  So 
you  see  that  I  am  doing  something  in  the  money  line  at  least. 

In  regard  to  the  subject  of  which  you  spoke,  I  am  thankful  for 
your  suggestions  and  know  that  they  are  the  offering  of  disinterested 
friendship  and  regard  for  my  welfare.  But  I  feel  myself  in  a  dilemma. 
Although  I  have  never  formally  engaged  myself  to  her,  yet  you  are 
aware  of  the  relation  that  exists  between  us,  and  that  the  people  con- 
sider that  there  is  an  engagement  between  us.    One  horn  is,  that  I  shall 

place  myself  in  a  position  to  society  similar  to 's,  which  you 

know  is  little  less  than  criminal.  Of  all  characters  in  society,  none  is 
more  despicable,  heartless,  and  truly  deserving  the  frown  and  contempt 
of  all  good  men  and  women,  than  the  man  who  wantonly  trifle^  with 
the  affections  of  a  woman.  You  know,  Corydon,  that  I  have  not  done 
»hat, intentionally  at  least,  but  the  world  does  not  know  it  and  judges 
by  external  appearances  altogether.  Still  more,  such  a  step  will  make 
a  score  or  more  of  enemies  for  me,  who  will  perhaps  ever  cont  nue  so. 
*  *  *  This,  in  connection  with  the  thought  that  I  have  given  en- 
couragement to  such  hopes  as  this  movement  would  crush,  will  ever  be 
a  source  of  sorrow  and  regret  to  my  own  conscience.  I  must  either  do 
this  or  consign  myself  to  a  living  grave ;  clip  the  free  wings  upon  which 
I  have  thus  far  soared  and  nutter  "  unearthly  flutterings,"  and  flap  my 
useless  pinions,  bound  to  a  mate  of  another  species — the  eagle  with  the 
robin.  I  use  no  reproachfnl  terms — I  should  not  be  truthful  to  my 
own  heart  were  I  to  do  so;  for  as  you  know,  I  do  and  ever  shall  respect 
her  and  feel  under  great  obligations  to  her  for  the  sympathy,  kindness 
and  affection  she  has  manifested  for  me  since  first  I  knew  her.  But 
should  these  considerations  cause  me  to  curb  my  career  and  fasten  a 
clog  to  my  improvement?  This  is  not  disrespectful;  for  gold,  though 
precious,  is  heavy  and  may  weigh  down  a  strong  man.  I  have  almost 
thought  sometimes  that  I  had  better  make  the  sacrifice,  as  it  affected 


74  REMINISCENCES    OF 

only  myself,  and  the  other  course  affected   many,  besides  injured  my 
reputation. 

Write  soon,  and  a  long  letter.     In  haste.     Yours,  etc. 

James. 

In  answer  to  this,  as  well  as  to  his  former  letter,  I 
advised  him  under  no  consideration  to  continue  his 
intimacy  with  Miss  Hubbell,  as  he  would  do  her  as  well 
as  himself  a  positive  wrong  were  he  to  marry  her  while 
entertaining  such  sentiments  as  he  had  expressed,  and 
which  I  believed  were  just.  As  he  had  now  realized 
the  fact  that  ihey  were  not  suited  to  each  other,  a  fact 
which  all  his  friends  had  long  before  discovered,  there 
was  no  other  course  than  to  tell  her  frankly  that  their 
intimate  association  must  be  broken  off.  My  answer 
was  written  January  21,  and  on  the  27th  he  wrote: 

Dear  Friend  Corydon: — I  very  thankfully  received  yours  of  the  2ist, 
and  must  say  that  its  contents  strengthened  me  very  much  on  the  most 
difficult  question  that  was  ever  propounded  to  my  mind.  It  has  stirred 
my  mind  to  its  very  depths,  and  when  having  my  thoughts  upon  that 
subject,  instead  of  beholding  my  "mind's  sky  unclouded,"  I  see  a 
blackened  concave  across  which  the  thundering  of  contending  emotions 
rides  in  his  fury,  and  his  red  chariot  wheels  blaze  with  the  fierce  light- 
nings of  his  vengeance.  But  I  am  determined  not  to  quail  before  the 
thunder-shod  footsteps  of  his  terror,  but  rise  up  in  the  might  of  a  manly 
strength  and  break  the  shackles  that  would  bind  me  to  earth,  if  long 
endured. 

All  goes  right  at  the  Eclectic,  except  that  Clayton  is  very  sick  and 
will  only  recover  with  the  greatest  care.    Good  many  visitors  here  now. 

Hattie  Storer  and  Hattie  Spicer  and  Mary  Howard  here  to-day. 
Enclosed  I  send  you  a  line  from  Sutton.  It  may  help  you.  The  bell 
will  ring  for  my  Greek  recitation  in  a  moment,  and  I  must  close.  Ex- 
cuse brevity  and  write  often  and  tell  me  your  success,  give  me  advice, 
etc.     Your  friend,  as  ever,  James. 


CHAPTER  X. 

MY  RETURN  TO  GRAND  RAPIDS. FURTHER  CORRESPON- 
DENCE.  "A  VISION." 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  winter  and  early 
spring  of  1853  I  taught  classes  in  penmanship  at 
Ravenna,  Parkman  and  Garrettsville,  and  was  fre- 
quently at  Hiram  ;  but  having  taken  a  very  severe  cold, 
my  lungs  became  seriously  affected,  and  I  determined 
to  return  home  to  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.  Accordingly, 
on  the  22nd  of  March  I  left  Hiram,  and  by  way  of  Ra- 
venna, Cleveland,  Detroit,  Ann  Arbor  and  Battle. 
Creek,  reached  home  at  midnight  of  the  25th.  The 
journey  by  stage  from  Battle  Creek  was  exceedingly 
wearisome.  '  We  left  that  place  at  3  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  and  as  I  have  said  were  until  midnight  travel- 
ing seventy  miles.  The  roads  were  very  muddy  and 
the  coach  heavily  loaded,  both  inside  and  "on  deck," 
and  we  were  frequently  obliged  to  walk  for  miles  in 
order  to  make  any  progress.  On  my  arrival  at  home 
my  ill  health  was  found  greatly  aggravated ;  I  had 
some  hemorrhage,  apparently  from  my  lungs,  and  my 
friends  as  well  as  my  physician  appeared  to  fear  that 
my  days  were  numbered.  But  I  refused  to  be  con- 
vinced, and  resolutely  determined  to  disappoint  them 
all  by  recovering  my  health. 

I   wrote   to    Mr.    Garfield   a   few  days  after   my  ar- 
rival at  home,  and  received  the  following  reply  : 


j6  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Hiram,  April,  9,  1853. 

Dear  Corydon: — Yours  of  the  30th  ult.  was  duly  received  and  I  will 
attempt  to  respond.  As  you  are  aware,  my  manifold  labors  so  consume 
my  time  that  I  can  scarce  find  space  to  commune  with  .my  absent 
friends  or  myself.  In  regard  to  our  school,  it  is  progressing  very 
pleasantly.  We  have  nearly  190  students,  and  still  more  are  coming 
in.  I  still  have  six  classes  besides  "  Memorabilia,"  for  Bro.  Munn<dl 
has  not  yet  returned;  but  we  expect  him  soon,  and  then  I  shall  be  re- 
lieved of  one  or  two  classes,  so  that  I  can  take  "Tacitus." 

The  Philomathian  has  received  new  members,  so  that  we  now  num- 
ber twenty-two.  It  is  useless  for  me  to  tell  you  the  state  of  things  in 
the  Society.  There  is  a  good  degree  of  zeal  and  energy  there — so  there 
is  in  a  dromedary.  I  sat  last  night  as  critic,  and  endured  the  "had 
cames,"  "  proces,"  scowls,  genuflexions  and  circumgyrations  of  the 
Pennsylvanian  ;  the  sepulchral  tones  of  the  "Geographer,"  "the  iron 
heel  of  despotism,"  "Greece  and  Rome,"  "rock-ribbed  mountains" 
and  "  everlasting  hills,"  and  all  the  other  hackneyed  phrases  which 
abound  among  men  of  the  monkey  genius  ;  add  to  all  the  murderous 
mangling  of  grammar,  logic  and  rhetoric,  and  you  can  perceive  the 
patience  necessary  to  preserve  one's  temper  as  well  as  gravity,  and 
also  how  much  pleasure  and  benefit  I  derive  from  my  literary  associa- 
tions. 

I  tell  you,  Corydon,  each  day  convinces  me  more  and  more  and 
MORE  of  the  utter  hollowness  of  the  world  and  all  human  affairs.  The 
present  organization  of  society  is  based  upon  soulless  formality  and 
heartless  principles.  To  my  mind  the  whole  catalogue  of  fashionable 
friendships  and  polite  intimacies  nre  not  worth  one  honest  tear  of  sym- 
pathy or  one  heartfelt  emotion  of  true  friendship.  Unless  I  can  enter  the 
inner  chambers  of  the  soul  and  read  the  inscriptions  there  upon  those 
ever-during  tablets,  and  thus  become  acquainted  with  the  inner  life, 
and  know  the  inner  man,  I  care  not  for  intercourse,  for  nothing  else  is 
true  friendship.  Hence,  as  you  know,  my  circle  of  intimate  friends  is 
small.  I  have  very  many  physical  acquaintances,  't  is  true,  but  their 
spirits  seem  to  possess  a  repelling  power  at  every  point,  and  to  possess 
no  congenialty. 

It  is  with  the  deepest  regret  that  I  learn  of  the  state  of  your 
health,  yet  I  trust  you  will  soon  be  better.  .  .  .  You  must  remem- 
ber that  that  soul  of  yours  dwells  in  a  frail  tabernacle,  which  will 
need  your  constant  care  or  it  will  be  uninhabitable.  To  my  heart  the 
thought  is  chilling.  Oh  !  that  you  had  a  share  of  my  physical  power. 
Corydon,  you  will   be  careful — attend   to  the  wants  of  your 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  JJ 

physical  system,  bathe  often  in  pure  cold  water — take  all  the  outdoor 
exercise  you  can  bear — refrain  from  all  mental  excitement;  permit  not 
your  imagination  to  take  the  wings  of  the  wind  and  soar  through  the 
ethereal  realms  of  thought,  for  it  will  cause  "the  keepers  of  the  house 
to  tremble." 

Oh  that  I  could  be  with  you  in  your  Western  home,  and  stroll 
over  the  broad  prairies — view  the  rolling  streams,  and  listen  to  the 
solemn,  dirge-like  music  of  the  wind  among  the  aged  pines  of  the 
forest.  That  day  may  come.  I  have  very  glowing  (perhaps  fanciful) 
conceptions  of  the  young  West  and  all  its  associations.  It  seems  as  if 
the  people  were  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  reform,  and  possessed  more 
vigor  and  soul-inspiring  energy,  caught  from  the  free  spirit  of  their 
native  wilds,  than  have  those  of  the  Eastern  States.  But  I  am  wan- 
dering. 

Mary  is  here,  and  I  tell  you,  Corydon,  my  heart  bleeds  for  that 
poor  girl ;  but  what  more  can  /  do  ?  I  fear  there  is  a  thorn  in  my 
heart  that  will  pierce  when  years  have  left  their  impress  upon  me. 

But  I  must  close.  You  will  excuse  this  poor  penmanship,  for  I 
really  can  not  spend  time  to  write  any  better.  Of  course  you  will 
write  me  soon.  You  know  I  have  no  very  intimate  associates  here, 
and  hence,  if  it  please  you,  I  will  be  sociable  with  my  pen,  and  be 
often  cheered  by  a  letter  from  you.  Let  us  in  all  the  varied  fortune  of 
human  life  look  forward  to  that  lamp  which  will  enlighten  the  dark- 
ness of  earth — the  valley  of  death — and  then  become  the  bright  and 
morning  star  in  the  heaven  of  heavens.  Give  my  love  to  your  father 
and  mother,  for  they  seem  like  mine  also,  and  you  know  you  have  the 
love  of  your  brother,  James. 

I  do  not  think  that  Mr.  Garfield  ever  alluded,  in  any 
of  his  subsequent  letters,  to  his  unfortunate  intimacy 
with  Mary  L.  Hubbell.  By  many  persons  he  was  very 
severely  censured,  and,  as  will  be  seen,  he  did  not, 
apparently,  fully  excuse  himself  for  failing-  to  dis- 
cover at  an  earlier  date  the  impossibility  of  a  true 
union  between  them.  I  have  been  informed  that  after 
two  or  three  years  she  married  ;  the  date  I  can  not 
give,  but  I  think  before  his  marriage,  which  did  not 
occur  until  1858.  I  think  she  has  been  dead  for  many 
years.      From  my  acquaintance  with   both,  I  can  not 


78  REMINISCENCES    OF 

feel  that  he  was  particularly  censurable.  He  became 
acquainted  with  her  when  only  nineteen  years  old, 
while  the  circle  of  his  acquaintance  was  limited,  and 
in  return  for  her  kindness  and  sympathy  permitted  his 
affections  to  become  deeply  interested.  I  do  not  doubt 
that  for  nearly  or  quite  two  years  he  regarded  her  as 
his  future  wife.  But  the  wider  vision  and  the  broader 
experience  which  came  to  him  as  the  months  passed 
by  convinced  him  that  his  choice  had  been  unwise,  and 
that  his  marriage  with  her  could  not  conduce  to  the 
happiness  of  either.  Let  the  man  or  the  woman  who 
has  always  judged  rightly  measure  out  to  him  the 
proper  meed  of  censure. 

I  have  decided  that  it  is  right  to  give  the  true  story 
of  his  acquaintance  with  her,  and  the  attendant  cir- 
cumstances, rather  than  to  allow  the  fanciful  inventions 
of  a  half-dozen  of  his  biographers  to  pass  unchallenged 
into  history ;  because  I  know  that  these  facts  are  fa- 
miliar to  many  of  the  old  students  of  the  Eclectic,  as 
well  as  to  hundreds  of  others  on  the  Western  Reserve ; 
and  because  the  time  is  certain  to  come  when  so  im- 
portant an  event  in  the  life  of  such  a  man  will  be  told, 
perhaps  by  those  who  had  less  knowledge  of  the  inner 
facts  than  the  writer  of  these  pages. 

A  few  weeks  of  rest  from  overwork,  with  the  care 
I  received  at  home,  sufficed  to  restore  me  to  about  my 
usual  health,  and  in  the  latter  part  of  May  I  entered  the 
Union  School  at  Grand  Rapids  as  Assistant  Principal, 
under  Prof.  E.  W.  Chesebro,  of  Guilderland,  N.  Y. 
The  term  continued  until  the  12th  of  August,  during 
which  time  I  received  five  letters  from  Mr.  Garfield, 
the  first  of  which  was  as  follows  : 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  /9 

Hiram,  May  16,  1853. 

Dear  Corydon : — With  seven  unanswered  letters  by  my  side,  and 
seven  lessons  demanding  my  attention  before  I  sleep,  and  it  being  now 
nine  o'clock,  I  sit  down  to  answer  your  brotherly  and  thrice  welcome 
letter.  It  cheers  my  heart  to  hear  from  you,  and  know  that  you  are 
improving  in  bodily  health  and  strength.  I  know  it  is  ingratitude  in 
me  (at  least  apparently)  in  not  answering  your  letter  before  now  ;  but 
in  extenuation  here  is  a  fact :  for  the  last  three  weeks  I  have  not  been 
in  my  bed  before  eleven  o'clock,  and  often  not  before  twelve  ;  but  1 
shall  not  have  so  hard  times  hereafter,  and  shall  write  as  often  as  you 
will,  be  it  every  day.  I  have  just  received  your  letter  of  the  12th 
inst.,  and  also  your  "  Eagle,"  for  both  of  which  I  am  very  thankful.  I 
am  very  much  delighted  with  your  poem,  and  with  your  permission  I 
will  read  it  before  the  Philomathian  Society. 

Things  at  the  Eclectic  are  moving  off  very  harmoniously.  It  is 
again  most  beautiful  weather,  and  almost  every  hour  brings  memories 
of  one  year  ago,  and  a  thousand  mingled  emotions  follow  in  the  train. 

It  is  now  a  glorious  evening.  The  glittering  hosts  are  marshaled 
forth  with  all  the  heavenly  train,  and  the  Goddess  of  Spring  has  veiled 
the  earth  with  the  richest  of  her  beauties.  My  spirit  fain  would  leap 
away  to  revel  in  the  solemn  beauties  of  the  night  and  the  mingled 
memories  of  the  past,  and  were  the  time  my  own  I  feel  that  /  could 
write;  for  the  thoughts  are  gushing  from  the  deep  fountains  of  my  soul 
and  struggling  up  for  utterance  ;  but  here  am  I,  and  their  low  murmurs 
tremble  on  the  midnight  air  alone,  with  no  responsive  heart  that 
strikes  a  note  in  unison.  I  would  that  you  were  here  to  spend  this 
glorious  night  alone  with  me  !  But  I  must  forbear.  Some  hour  will  find 
me  free,  both  heart  and  hand  and  tongue. 

The  reason  of  Munnell'.s  absence  is  that  he  is  going  to  die,  unless 
he  has  speedy  help.  He  was  here  and  could  not  pronounce  an  audible 
farewell  to  the  weeping  students.  Bronchitis  is  his  disease.  Symonds 
has  returned  to  school  again.  His  trouble  was,  he  could  no  longer 
hold  his  place  in  Greek,  and  he  decided  never  to  study  any  more,  and 
was  a  perfect  picture  of  despair.  But  he  has  come  back  again  with  re- 
newed energy,  fallen  back  with  John  Harnit  in  Greek,  while  Almeda 
and  I  are  doing  from  three  and  a  half  to  four  closely  printed  pages  per 
day  in  "  Memorabilia,"  and  expect  to  commence  Homer  next  week. 
John  Harnit  is  no  more  a  teacher  here  than  in  Oxford  University ;  al- 
though he  made  an  application  for  a  chance,  yet  his  talents  seemed  not 
to  be  appreciated.     The  disposition  of  classes  is  something  like  this  : 


80  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Dunshee  has  nine;  I  have  seven,  besides  a  writing  class.  They  are 
Arithmetic,  Grammar,  Algebra,  Geometry  (or  now  Trigonometry), 
Caesar,  Greek  Reader  and  Virgil.  Almeda  has  also  seven,  all  of  which 
make  the  burden  of  the  school.  We  are  hoping  for  Munnell's  recovery 
and  return  by  next  term,  but  fear  for  him. 

I  have  a  thousand  things  I  want  to  write,  but  I  can  not,  must  not, 
write  any  longer.  I  hope  to  hear  from  you  soon  and  a  longer  letter 
than  before.  I  have  not  time  to  read  this  miserable  scrawl  over  to 
correct  it ;  so  be  kind  enough  to  do  it  for  me,  and  believe  me  your 
true  friend  and  brother,  James. 

The  "Almeda"  mentioned  several  times  in  the 
above  letter  was  Miss  Almeda  A.  Booth,  whose  name 
has  been  immortalized  by  the  eloquent  eulogy  of  her 
famous  classmate  which  will  be  found  in  Mr.  Garfield's 
published  works.  Prof.  Munnell  happily  recovered 
from  his  serious  throat  trouble,  and  lives  to  mourn  for 
his  immortal  pupil.  The  allusion  to  Symonds  Ryder, 
Jr.,  should  be  tempered  by  the  recollection  that  the 
classmates  with  whom  he  could  not  keep  pace  were 
Mr.  Garfield  and  Miss .  Booth,  and  it  is  hardly  to  his 
discredit  that  he  could  not  perform  the  herculean  tasks 
which  were  accomplished  by  them.  I  have  before  ex- 
plained that  both  Mr.  Garfield  and  myself  had  allowed 
ourselves  to  dislike  John  Harnit,  and,  as  I  now  think,  to 
judge  him  too  harshly.  This  fact  will  account  for  free 
expressions  of  opinion  concerning  him  which  frequently 
entered  into  our  correspondence. 

The  following  is  the  poem  which  Mr.  Garfield  com- 
plimented, and  proposed  reading  to  'the  Philomathian 
Society : 

A  VISION. 

'T  was  night.      Luna  was  shining  mildly  down, 
Her  face  half  buried  in  a  fleecy  cloud, 
While  here  and  there  a  smiling  star  peered  forth 
From  heaven's  blue  dome  upon  a  sleeping  world. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD. 

The  mighty  multitude  was  silent  now, 
The  busy  streets  deserted,  and  no  sound, 
Except  the  murmuring  of  the  distant  stream, 
Disturbed  the  stdlness  of  the  quiet  night. 
There  was  a  hazy  softness  in  the  air, 
And  a  refreshing  coolness  in  the  breeze 
That  played  so  gently  mid  the  forest  leaves  : 
And,  sauntering  forth  into  the  stilly  night, 
Alone,  I  turned  my  footsteps  toward  the  place 
Where  sleep  so  peacefully  the  clay-cold  forms 
Of  the  departed. 

Mid  the  monuments 
That  love  had  reared  in  mem'ry  of  the  dead, 
I  wandered  on,  till  'neath  a  spreading  tree 
I  sat  me  down,  and  mused  upon  the  world, 
And  all  its  fleeting,  transitory  scenes. 
The  glittering  moon-beams  fell  in  misty  gleams 
Upon  the  cold,  white  marble,  and  revealed 
The  names  of  those  within  their  "  narrow  home." 
I  thought  of  those  that  I  had  loved,  who  now 
Were  lying  'neath  the  "green  grass  of  the  grave," 
And  thrilling  memories  of  other  years 
Came  rushing  o'er  my  spirit  like  a  dream. 
Again  I  stood  beside  the  cottage  hearth 
Where  the  bright  years  of  childhood  had  been  passed; 
Again  I  wandered  through  the  forest  paths 
And  rocky  glens,  as  I  was  wont  to  do 
When  but  a  thoughtless  inexperienced  child. 
A  vivid  panorama  of  my  life, 
With  every  incident  imprinted  there, 
Seemed  passing  rapidly  before  my  eyes. 
I  felt  my  brain  throb  heavily,  and  lo  ! 
I  saw  a  fearful  form  slowly  arise, 
Emerging  from  a  grave,  a  nameless  grave 
Within  the  "  potter's  field.'1 

The  hand  of  Time 
Had  left  the  marks  of  many  a  year  upon 
The  stranger's  brow.      His  locks  were  white  as  snow ; 
His  step  was  falt'ring,  and  his  form  bowed  down; 
His  garments  were  the  robes  of  penury  ; 
And,  at  his  near  approach,  a  chilling  fear 


81 


"82  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Crept  o'er  my  spirit  like  the  touch  of  death. 

The  specter,  stretching  forth  one  bony  hand, 

His  dark  eyes  flashing  in  the  moon-light,  said: 

"  My  father  loved  the  sparkling  wine  cup,  and 

He  gave  it  to  his  child,  his  only  son. 

He  said  't  was  good  to  cheer  the  fainting  heart, 

To  lend  a  brilliance  to  the  eye  of  youth, 

And  kindle  fires  of  genius  in  the  soul. 

I  drank  the  poison  draught  ht  gave  to  me! 

My  constitution  crumbled  to  decay, 

And  I  was  prematurely  old  ;  gray  hairs 

Crept  o'er  my  brow.     My  health  was  blighted,  and 

My  reputation  lost. 

My  father  died 
A  mad-man,  raving  in  delirium, 
A  victim  of  the  "  serpent  of  the  still." 
I  saw  his  foaming  lips  and  flashing  eyes, 
And  heard  his  maniac  laugh,  as  wild,  he  strove 
With  phantom  forms  he  fancied  hov'ring  round  ! 
I  saw  the  death-dew  on  his  pallid  brow 
Slow  gath'ring  as  the  lamp  of  life  went  out ; 
And  then  I  followed  in  the  meager  train 
That  bore  him  to  a  pauper's  lowly  grave. 
I  drank  more  deeply  than  before  to  drown 
The  memory  of  the  past  in  Lethe's  waves. 
My  kindred  perished  like  the  Autumn  leaves; 
My  wife  and  children  all  were  in  the  grave; 
Yet  still  I  lived,  abandoned  and  despised, 
A  wanderer  and  an  outcast  on  the  earth. 
And  then  I  cursed  the  world  and  all  mankind — 
The  fiends  who  placed  temptation  in  my  way, 
And  led  me  down  the  fearful  path  of  shame — 
I  cursed  the  God  who  gave  me  life,  and  died. 
I  come,  to-night,  to  tell  thee  of  the  fate 
Of  him  who  sips  the  sparkling  waves  of  death. 
'T  will  blast  his  pleasures,  poison  every  joy, 
And  breathe  a  mildew  on  his  every  hope; 
Rob  him  of  peace  and  health  and  happiness, 
And  give  him  infamy  and  pain  and   death. 
And  now  I  charge  thee,  warn  the  multitude 
To  shun  the  poison  cup,  the  envenomed  draught 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  83 

With  which  is  mingled  every  woe.     It  rolls 
A  fiery  wave  of  desolation  o'er 
The  brightest  spots  that  cheer  man     pilgrimage; 
Dries  up  the  purest  fountains  in  the  soul, 
And  leaves  the  heart  bereft  of  hope  and  love, 
Withered  and  desolate." 

The  vision  fled  : 
I  was  alone.      'T  was  past  the  "noon  of  night," 
And,  turning  from  the  spot,  I  sought  my  home. 

C.  E.  Fuller. 
Grand  Rapids,  April  28,  1853. 


CHAPTER    XL 

SPRING    TERM    OF     1 85 3    AT    HIRAM. — MR.     GARFIELD    DE- 
SCRIBES   A    VISIT    TO    BETHANY    COLLEGE. 

My  next  letter  from   Mr.  Garfield  bears  date  May 
3i.  1853: 

Dear  Corydon : — Your  very  welcome  letter  of  the  25th  was  received 
last  night.  I  am  rejoiced  to  know  that  in  the  providence  of  God  your 
life  is  yet  preserved,  and  your  health  is  improving.  I  trust  you  may 
soon  fully  recover  your  wonted  vigor,  and  "the  keepers  of  the  house 
may  no  longer  tremble,"  but  may  guard  the  fountains  of  your  life.  My 
health  is  very  good  with  one  exception.  I  fear  I  am  threatened  with 
bronchitis.  My  vocal  organs  seem  raw,  from  the  epiglottis  to  the  cen- 
ter of  my  lungs.  This  is  especially  dangerous  in  teaching,  for  it  is 
almost  impossible  for  one  to  favor  himself  while  talking  incessantly, 
.  .  The  school  is  moving  on  very  harmoniously,  and  has  about  180 
in  regular  attendance.  There  have  been  two  public  lyceums  this  term, 
of  which  I  have  not  now  time  to  speak.  The  Eclectic  (Lyceum)  makes 
a  public  display  next  Friday  evening.  Of  course  it  will  be  splendid, 
bearing  the  impress  of  such  mighty  minds  as and  the  redoubt- 
able   .     There  is  some   excitement  here   concerning  the  coming 

exhibition.  The  timber  has  been  selected,  and  some  appointments 
made.  Symonds  Ryder  has  been  put  on  for  a  Greek  speech ;  King  for 
the  Valedictory ;  McBride  for  a  German  oration ;  Burns  and  a  young 
man  from  Russell,  by  the  name  of  Everest,  for  a  discussion  on  the 
utility  of  studying  the  dead  languages.  Misses  Booth,  Carleton  and 
Rudolph,  and  myself,  are  selected  to  write  a  colloquy.  There  were 
two  other  young  men  chosen  on  the  committee,  but  we  do  not  expect 
any  assistance  from  them  in  writing  it.  I  heard  Miss  Booth  remark 
that  there  were  no  young  men  on  the  list  who  could  assist  me  in  my 
part  of  the  labor,  which  will  be  the  greater  portion  of  the  colloquy.  She 
said  she  "wished  Corydon  were  here  to  assist  .  .  ."  Many  are 
making  mighty  efforts    for   that   occasion.      I  have  not  yet  written  a 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  85 

word,  but  if  I  can  get  time  I  think  of  taking  for  a  theme,  "The  influ- 
ence of  Napoleon  Bonaparte  upon  the  World."  Had  I  time  I  should 
hope  to  do  something  upon  that  theme.  Haven't  you  some  suggestions 
to  make  upon  the  subject  ?     Do  so.     ' 

.  Your  questions  concerning  my  future  course  I  can  not  now 
answer.  They  want  me  to  allow  my  name  to  go  before  the  board  of 
trustees  as  a  settled  teacher  in  this  Institution,  and  I  am  at  a  loss  what 
to  do.  I  shall  certainly  make  no  arrangements  that  will  cut  off  the 
opportunity  of  my  finishing  a  thorough  course.  I  am  unwilling  to  stay 
here  and  teach  the  more  common  branches,  for  it  seems  to  me  I  can  do 
more  in  the  world  than  that.  I  have,  however,  thus  fjr  been  very 
highly  favored  with  classes  which  have  improved  ine  nearly  as  much  as 
studying  alone.  For  instance,  the  Virgil  class  is  now  reading  about 
one  hundred  lines  per  day,  and  has  just  commenced  book  seventh. 
Day  after  to-morrow  my  class  finishes  Plane  Trigonometry.  Another 
is  in  the  Greek  Reader,  and  another  has  finished  Caesar  entire  and  has 
been  in  Virgil  one  week.  Thus  you  see  I  am  driving  my  studies  some. 
I  want  your  advice  upon  my  future  course.  You  are  at  a  distance  and 
can  see  me  as  I  can  not  see  myself. 

You  did  not  tell  me  your  future  course — how  long  you  were  em- 
ployed for — your  wages,  etc.  Please  do  so.  I  think  now  I  shall  go 
down  to  Bethany  to  the  Commencement,  to  see  the  place  and  the 
school.  We  have  got  up  a  small  school  here  to  be  held  in  vacation — 
Dunshee  teacher.  It  is  to  be  held  six  we-ks.  Henry  and  I,  Miss  Booth 
and  several  others  intend  to  stay  and  study.  I  wish  I  had  the  leisure 
to  visit  you  in  vacation,  and  if  it  were  not  for  the  school  I  should.  I 
presume  it  would  be  better  for  my  health  if  I  should,  but  I  must  bring 
my  studies  along. 

Now,  write  soon.  Give  my  love  to  your  father  and  mother  and 
accept  the  unworthy  love  of  James. 

Concerning  the  personal  allusions  in  the  foregoing 
letter,  it  may  be  remarked  :  "  King"  was  Joseph  King, 
the  well-known  preacher  at  Allegheny  City,  Penn.,  for 
over  twenty-five  years.  After  an  interval  of  nearly 
thirty  years  in  our  acquaintance,  I  met  him  in  Novem- 
ber, 1883,  at  Pasadena,  Cal.,  where  he  and  his  excel- 
lent wife  were  seeking  the  restoration  of  his  health. 
We  spent  the  winter  in  Southern   California,  a  part  of 


86  REMINISCENCES    OF 

the  time  boarding  at  the  same  place,  and  enjoyed  fre- 
quent opportunities  of  reviving  old  recollections  of  the 
school  days  at  Hiram.  "McBride"  was  Sterling 
McBride,  who  studied  for  the  ministry,  but  lived  only 
a  few  years,  leaving  behind  him  an  unsullied  name  and 
many  who  mourned  that  he  should  so  soon  be  called 
away  from  his  field  of  usefulness.  "Burns"  was  Philip 
Burns,  who  also  became  a  preacher,  and  like  McBride, 
lived  only  to  begin  his  work.  The  ' '  young  man  from 
Russell,  by  the  name  of  Everest,"  is  now  known  as 
President  Everest,  late  of  Butler  University,  one  of  the 
ablest  of  our  educators,  and  an  author  of  acknowledged 
worth.  Miss  Rudolph  is  mentioned  for  the  first  time 
in  this  letter,  as  the  associate  of  Miss  Booth,  Miss 
Carleton  (now  Mrs.  Dunshee)  and  himself  in  the  com- 
position of  the  Commencement  colloquy. 

This  colloquy  was  entitled  "  Mordecai  and  Haman  ; 
or  the  Scales  Turned,"  and  the  colloquii  persona  were: 

Ahasuerus J.  A.  Garfield 

Esther Lucretia  Rudolph 

Mordecai W.  M.  Pratt 

Ezra Sterling  McBride 

Hatach J.  H.  Clapp 

Memucan Ezra  Harnit 

Haman G.  L.  Applegate 

This  colloquy  should  not  be  confounded  with  the 
one  mentioned  by  Mr.  Garfield  in  his  Memorial  Address 
in  honor  of  Miss  Booth,  as  the  reference  there  made  is 
to  the  one  written  the  preceding  year,  entitled  "The 
Heretic."  But  "  Mordecai  and  Haman''  was  no  doubt 
largely  written  by  Mr.  Garfield  and  received  high  com- 
mendation. I  do  not  know  that  any  copy  of  it  has  been 
preserved.      I  have  a  copy  of  "The  Heretic." 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  87 

The  discussion  of  the  question,  "  Is  the  study  of  the 
ancient  languages  essential  to  the  highest  improvement 
of  the  human  intellect?"  was  affirmed  by  Philip  Burns 
and  denied  by.H.  W.  Everest.  Mr.  Garfield's  criti- 
cisms upon  the  exhibition  will  be  found  in  a  subsequent 
letter. 

June  15,  1853,  he  wrote  me  the  following  brief  note: 

Dear  Corydon :  —I  have  only  time  for  a  word.  I  have  not  heard 
from  you  for  some  weeks,  although  I  have  written.  I  presume,  how- 
ever, your  letter  is  on  the  road.  I  write  this  to  know  what  it  will  cost 
me  to  go  to  Ann  Arbor  to  the  Commencement  and  back  here  again. 
If  it  does  not  cost  too  much  and  consume  too  much  of  my  time  I  almost 
think  of  attending  the  Commencement.  Would  you  like  to  meet  me 
there  ?  Please  write  immediately.  I  am  tolerably  well.  All  things  as 
usual.  You  may  think  strange  of  my  proposition,  bat  my  future  course 
must  soon  be  decided.     No  more.     Yours  in  love,  James. 

In  those  days  the  mails  were  provokingly  slow.  It 
frequently  required  ten  days  or  more  for  a  letter  to  pass 
from  Hiram  to  Grand  Rapids,  and  I  think  in  no  case 
was  the  time  less  than  five  or  six  days.  Twenty-four 
hours  would  now  be  ample  time.  I  received  the 
above  note  the  evening  of  the  20th,  and  mailed  my 
answer  the  22nd,  but  it  did  not  reach  him  until  the 
1 2th  of  July.  As  the  Ann  Arbor  Commencement 
occurred  on  the  29th  of  June,  the  nature  of  my 
answer  is  not  material. 

My  next  letter  from  Mr.  Garfield  is  as  follows: 

Hiram,  July  19,  1853. 
Dear  Corydon  : — Yours  of  June  22  was  not  received  by  me  till  July 
12.  Not  hearing  from  you  in  time,  I  concluded  to  go  to  Bethany.  But 
first,  a  word  about  our  exhibition.  There  were,  according  to  the  general 
opinion,  between  two  thousand  and  twenty-five  hundred  people  in  at- 
tendance. It  was  held  in  the  same  place  as  before,  and  the  stage  was 
prepared  in  the  same  manner.  We  had  good  singing,  having  six  per- 
sons selected  for  that  especial  purpose,  and  at  the  close  an  original  song 


OS  REMINISCENCES    OF 

— music  by  Walter  S.  Hayden,  and  words,  for  want  of 's  muse, 

from — you  may  guess  whom.  For  want  of  time,  several  speakers  with- 
drew voluntarily,  and  were  not  on  the  programme  for  orations.  Among 
these  were  C.  C.  Foote,  H.  B.  Boynton,  Walter  S.  Hayden,  Pratt, 
A.  A.  Luse  and  J.  A.  G.  You  know  that  we  had  only  ninety  students 
to  select  from  last  spring,  and  the  aggregate  of  talent  was  not  so  great 
as  now,  and  from  that  reason,  on  the  whole,  it  was  a  better  exhibition 
than  last  year.  Some  say  that  last  year  multiplied  by  two  would  just 
equal  this.     I  think  it  is  true,  for  we  had  this  year  no  such   pieces  as 

's,    's,    's,    's,    and    several    of    that    class. 

Wealtha  Ann  Hayden  had  a  great  essay.  Oh,  you  ought  to  hear  it. 
Mary  Atwater  and  Parintha  Dean  had  grand  orations.  The  discussion 
was  excellent.  You  remember  Everest,  brother  Soule's  wife's  brother. 
He  is  a  smart  fellow,  and  sustained  his  own  side  better  than  we  Latins 
like  to  hear.  But  it  is  needless  to  particularize.  You  will  see  some 
more  by  the  enclosed  programme.  How  I  wished  you  were  here  to 
make  the  bower  resound  again  with  your  long  absent  voice.  Well,  the 
parting  scene  was  over,  an  I  we  hastened  home. 

The  next  Wednesday,  Henry  and  I  to  k  the  cars  at  Bedford  for 
Wellsville,  where  we  arrived  in  due  time  and  strolled  through  that 
dusty  town  for  a  few  hours.  Among  other  things  we  visited  the  Union 
School,  or  rather  Miss  Sarah  Udall,  who  teaches  there,  you  know. 
About  five  o'clock  p.  M.  we  took  the  steamer  for  Wellsburg,  Va., 
twenty-five  miles  from  Wellsville.  The  water  being  very  low,  our 
course  was  not  Jearfidly  rapid,  but  we  had  a  good  time  to  view  the  free 
hills,  piled  up  on  the  rock-girt  shore  of  the  blue  Ohio.  The  old  steamer 
coughed  along  down  her  smooth  surface,  and  on  account  of  numerous 
stoppages  and  the  extreme  shallowness  of  the  water  it  was  after  mid. 
night  when  we  first  stood  upon  the  soil  of  the  "Old  Dominion,"  on 
"Old  Virginia's  shore."  I  had  strange  feelings  to  think  that  I  was  in 
the  native  State  of  Washington,  Jefferson,  Randolph,  Madison  and 
others  of  earth's  brightest  glories. 

The  next  morning  we  were  whirled  across  the  handle  of  Virginia 
to  Pleasant  Hill  Female  Seminary,  in  Pennsylvania.  We  attended  the 
examination  and  exhibition,  which  were  very  fine.  Eleven  graduated. 
The  next  morning  we  left  the  confines  of  the  Keystone  State  and  were 
soon  in  Bethany.  I  can  not  now  enter  into  minute  details  about  the 
place,  but  hope  ere  long  to  tell  you  viva  voce.  The  village  is  girt  about 
with  everlasting  hills,  their  tops  almost  cloud-girt,  and  on  one  of  the 
highest  stands  Bethany  College.  There  are  three  society  rooms,  done 
off  like  the  parlors  of  our  hotels  as  to  magnificence,  and  furnished  in  a 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  89 

very  elegant  and  imposing  manner.  By  the  way,  the  South  do  the 
adorning  physically,  while  the  North  fill  the  casket  with  intellectual 
jewels.  The  place  is  very  romantic,  but  I  was  very  much  disappointed 
in  the  talent.  I  listened  with  profound  attention,  for  from  the  trap- 
pings and  preparation  I  expected  that  Mount  Olympus  would  be  shaken 
to  its  roots  and  the  cold  fountains  of  Parnassus  would  boil.  But  the 
sun  sank  to  his  western  home  and  the  hills  even  of  Bethany  stood  un- 
moved, and  I  fancy  that  not  even  the  bald  head  of  the  Eclectic  bowed 
at  the  sound.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  a  good,  thorough,  determined 
Northern  boy,  of  "  mens  sana,  in  sano  corpore,'"  can  go  there  and  lead 
them  through  the  course.  But  Munnell  told  me  that  they  had  not  so 
brilliant  a  set  this  year  as  usual.  Yet  there  was  some  fine  talent  there. 
Bro.  Munnell  is  not  yet  well,  and  knows  not  how  it  will  eventuate.  He 
is  attending  a  water-cure  establishment  and  hopes  for  the  best. 

We  returned  via  Pittsburgh,  and  stopped  at  Salem,  Columbiana 
county,  to  attend  a  debate  on  the  evidences  of  Christianity,  between 
Jonas  Hartzel  and  Joseph  Barker.  It  continued  five  days.  It  will  be 
published.  Last  Saturday  week  we  reached  Hiram.  Henry  has  gone 
home  to  work.  I,  with  several  others,  am  here  studying.  I  am  read- 
ing Homer's  Iliad,  one  hundred  and  fifty  lines  per  day.  and  the 
Georgics  and  Bucolics  of  Virgil.  My  health  is  first  rate  and  I  never 
felt  better  for  study  in  my  life.  That  trip  gave  me  new  life.  I  take 
only  two  studies,  and  do  not  work  very  hard.  I  have  now  hired  to 
teach  here  for  one  year  lor  $300,  with  the  privilege  of  studying  some. 
They  will  get  a  thorough  man  to  take  Munnell's  place  in  the  fall  and 
henceforth.  I  will  tell  you  more  next  time.  Write  soon.  I  want  to 
hear  from  you  very  much. 

Yours  as  ever,  in  love,  James. 

P.  S.  I  had  a  letter  from  Ceylon  not  long  since.  He  is  in  Savan- 
nah, Ashland  county,  Q.,  and  doing  well,  I  believe.  Give  my  love  to 
your  father  and  mother  and  write  soon.  I  know  not  why,  but  I  want 
to  see  you  more  than  I  ever  did  before.  When  will  you  come  here? 
What  are  your  plans  for  the  future?  Write  all.  I  have  not  time  to 
look  this  over,  and  so  you  correct  it  for  me,  and  oblige  James. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


THE    MOONLIGHT    BURIAL. VISIT    TO    OBERLIN     COLLEGE. 


In  October,  1852,  a  child  was  buried  at  Hiram  by- 
moonlight.  The  solemnity  of  the  scene  was  deeply 
impressed  upon  my  mind,  and  in  July,  1853,  I  wrote  for 
the  Grand  River  Eagle,  a  descriptive  sketch,  entitled : 

THE  MOONLIGHT  BURIAL. 

There  is  a  little  village  in  the  northern  part  of  Ohio  called  Hiram, 
and  here  is  located  a  nourishing  seminary  known  as  the  "Western  Re- 
serve Eclectic  Institute."  It  is  truly  a  romantic  place  ;  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  that  I  have  ever  seen.  The  institution,  a  noble  brick  edifice, 
is  situated  on  a  rising  ground,  and  from  its  lofty  dome  to  the  east  may 
be  seen  the  distant  hills  of  Pennsylvania,  while  to  the  north  the  villages 
of  Burton  and  Troy,  at  a  distance  of  several  miles,  lie  spread  out  be- 
fore one  like  a  map  on  which  is  pictured  every  tree  and  shrub  as  well 
as  tenement  of  man.  To  the  south  and  west  the  eye  rests  upon  green 
meadows,  fertile  fields  and  luxuriant  orchards,  stretching  away  for 
miles  in  the  distance.  A  little  to  the  west  of  the  village  is  the  spot 
consecrated  for  the  burial  of  the  dead.  It  contains  no  imposing  monu- 
ments to  flatter  the  vanity  of  the  living,  or  magnify  the  virtues  of  the 
departed,  yet  here  and  there  is  a  simple  marble  slab  to  point  out  the 
resting-place  of  one  whose  epitaph  is  graven  on  the  hearts  of  those 
that  mourn,  and  whose  life  needs  no  eulogy.  In  one  part  of  the  cem- 
etery is  an  old  gray  stone,  from  which  the  corroding  touch  of  time  has 
erased  the  greater  part  of  the  inscription,  but  there  still  remains  the  name 
of  one  of  the  officers  of  the  army  of  Washington.  It  took  some  pains  to 
decipher  the  half  obliterated  inscription,  and  read  (if  I  remember  cor- 
rectly) that  he  was  with  the  heroic  band  who  spent  that  fearful  winter 
at  Valley  Forge.  But  his  form  has  lain  in  that  old  graveyard  for  nearly 
half  a  century,  and  his  grandchildren's  sons  and  daughters  are  the  pil- 
grims at  his  tomb. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  9 1 

Not  far  distant  is  an  enclosure  containing  two  graves,  and  a  num- 
ber of  beautiful  rose  bushes  were  scattering  their  fragrant  leaves  upon 
them  when  I  last  visited  the  spot.  I  have  one  of  those  roses  now, 
which  I  have  carefully  preserved  as  a  memento  of  the  green  mound  on 
which  it  grew. 

I  was  present  at  a  burial  in  that  graveyard  which  I  shall  never 
forget.  The  frosts  of  autumn  had  tinged  the  foliage  of  the  maple  and 
the  chestnut,  and  their  leaves  were  glittering  in  the  moonlight  with  a 
thousand  variegated  hues.  But  you  could  scarcely  have  heard  the 
rustling  of  a  leaf,  and  the  moon — the  full  moon — p  ured  down  a  silvery 
flood  of  radiance  till  the  earth  fairly  sparkled  in  her  loveliness.  It  had 
been  announced  that  a  child  of  some  twelve  years  would  be  buried 
that  evening  at  seven  o'clock,  and  in  company  with  two  or  three 
friends  I  wended  my  way  to  the  graveyard.  The  procession  had  ar- 
rived just  before  us,  and  a  group  was  gathered  around  the  open  grave. 
The  father,  a  tall  and  noble  looking  man,  was  standing  there,  his  arms 
folded  on  his  breast,  and  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  spot  where  so  soon  would 
lie  his  first-born  son.  At  his  right  stood  the  noble  President  of  the 
Eclectic,  frail  in  form  but  mighty  in  soul ;  his  character  a  model  of 
what  man's  should  be,  almost  without  a  fault,  unless  it  be  possible  to 
be  too  good,  too  kind,  too  generous  and  true.  Perhaps  a  hundred 
more  were  standing  there,  and  you  could  almost  have  heard  the  beat- 
ing of  their  hearts,  the  stillness  was  so  deep  and  almost  fearful.  The 
coffin  was  lowered  into  the  grave,  and  then  we  heard 

"Upon  the  silent  dwelling's  narrow  lid 
The  first  earth  thrown,  sound  deadliest  to  the  soul." 

I  know  not  what  was  said ;  there  was  something  so  impressive  in 
the  scene  that  tears  were  glistening  in  the  eyes  of  those  who  seldom 
weep,  and  I  fancied  that  spirits  from  the  shadowy  land  of  the  departed 
were  standing  in  our  midst.  We  turned  away,  but  the  whole  scene  of 
that  funeral  is  daguerreotyped  upon  the  tablets  of  my  memory,  and  till 
I  forget  "  the  name  my  mother  called  me  by,"  't  will  never  be  erased. 
The  moonbeams  fell  in  wavy  undulations  on  the  fresh  earth  as  we 
left  the  graveyard,  but  the  turf  covers  it  now,  and  the  childdike  form 
which  was  buried  there  has  again  commingled  with  the  elements.     But 

"  The  grave  is  not  a  bourne  whose  sombre  portal 

Closeth  eternal  o'er  the  bright  and  fair, 
But  through  its  gate  to  blessedness  immortal 

The  spirit  passeth,  endless  life  to  share." 

Our  term   of    school   was   to  close    August    J2.      I 


92  REMINISCENCES    OF 

had  decided  to  return  to  Hiram  and  again  take  my 
place  in  the  Eclectic.  The  following  letter  was  re- 
ceived the  day  our  school  closed : 

Sutton's,  Aug.  6,  1853. 

Corydon,  My  Brother :— Happy  am  I  to  know  that  I  shall  so  soon 
see  you.  I  received  yours  of  the  25th  ultimo,  and  hasten  to  send  this 
by  return  mail,  which  will  leave  in  about  fifteen  minutes.  Hence  I 
have  only  time  for  a  word. 

On  the  15th  day  of  this  month  I  shall  go  to  Oberlin  to  attend  the 
examinations  there,  and  remain  about  one  week.  I  wish  you  could 
meet  me  there  and  then  come  on  to  Hiram  with  me.  Charles  D.  Wil- 
ber  and  Almeda  Booth  will  be  there  with  me,  and  I  suppose  we  shall 
have  a  good  time. 

My  thanks  for  your  letter  and  paper  containing  your  poem  to  Miss 
H.  F.  S.  I  think  that  is  the  happiest  effort  you  have  ever  made  in 
touching  the  high-strung  chords  of  the  heart.  Your  "  Moonlight 
Burial  "  I  have  seen.  It  is  very  fine.  I  intend  to  show  it  to  brother 
Taylor. 

Almeda  is  sitting  here,  and  says,  "  Tell  Corydon  I  shall  be  very 
glad  to  see  him.  My  kind  regards  till  he  come."  I  am  prospering 
finely  in  Homer  and  Latin.  Don't  fail  to  come  soon.  Till  then  re- 
member I  am  your  affectionate  brother,  James. 

It  may  have  been  noted  that  in  many  of  Mr.  Gar- 
field's letters  he  uses  the  Christian  name  only  of  many 
persons  to  whom  he  refers.  In  the  above  letter  he 
dates  it  from  "Sutton's."  This  referred  to  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Eclectic,  with  whom  he  boarded  at  this 
time.  The  President  was  widely  known  as  Sutton 
Hayden,  though  I  think  he  always  wrote  it  A.  S.  Hay- 
den.  It  was  surely  from  no  want  of  respect  for  the  per- 
son, but  from  a  hearty,  familiar  manner  which,  in  Gar- 
field, seemed  natural  and  proper.  For  several  years,  I 
find  in  my  journal,  and  in  letters  to  my  friends,  that  I 
never  thought  of  referring  to  him  in  any  other  way 
than  as  "James."     To  me  there  was  no  other  James. 

On  the  morning  of  Monday,  August  15,   1853,  at  2 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  93 

o'clock,  I  started  for  Oberlin,  which  place  I  reached 
Wednesday,  at  1:30  o'clock  p.  m.  I  found  four  of  the 
Hiram  friends  there:  James  A.  Garfield,  John  Harnit, 
Almeda  Booth  and  Lucretia  Rudolph.  The  "Village 
Hotel"  at  Oberlin  was  kept  by  L.  S.  Coffin,  the  pres- 
ent well-known  Iowa  Railroad  Commissioner.  Here 
we  found  excellent  accommodations.  I  have  noted 
several  unique  features  in  my  record  of  the  time  spent 
there.  After  breakfast  all  the  guests  were  invited  to 
repair  to  the  parlor  for  morning  worship.  Everything 
about  the  place  was  as  quiet  and  orderly  as  in  a  well 
regulated  Christian  home.  I  learned  that  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Coffin  were  old  acquaintances  of  James  and  Lu- 
cretia, at  Chester,  and  I  found  them  very  pleasant 
people.  President  Finney  was  at  that  time  in  his 
prime,  and  we  were  all  very  favorably  impressed  with 
all  we  saw  at  Oberlin.  We  attended  a  concert  Thurs- 
day evening,  given  by  the  choir  of  one  hundred  and 
thirty  singers,  and  we  unanimously  voted  it  excellent. 
On  Friday  we  proceeded  to  Hiram,  arriving  just  at 
night.  Mr.  Garfield,  Miss  Booth  and  myself^  spent 
most  of  the  next  day  at  paperhanging  for  President 
Hayden.  I  presume  we  did  a  good  job,  as  the  foreman 
was  always  accustomed  to  make  a  success  of  whatever 
he  undertook,  whether  it  was  driving  a  horse  on  the 
tow-path,  teaching  geometry,  working  at  house-build- 
ing, at  anything  else. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

MISS      LYDIA      L.     SEYMOUR. — LINES     TO      HER      SISTER. 

FALL   TERM    OF    1 85 3,   AT    HJRAM. — MR.    GARFIELD    AT 
NIAGARA. 

I  suppose  few  boys  reach  the  age  of  seventeen 
without  at  least  imagining  themselves  very  deeply 
interested  in  some  young  lady.  In  after  years  they 
frequently  wonder  at  the  strange  infatuation,  and  find 
it  impossible  to  recognize  in  the  young  lady  of  twenty 
the  subtle  charm  which  they  discovered  in  the  school 
girl  of  fifteen.  The  boys  at  the  Grand  Rapids 
Academy  were  very  much  like  other  boys,  and  I  think 
I  am  betraying  no  confidence  in  stating  that  with 
scarcely  an  exception  they  regarded  Lydia  L.  Seymour 
as  the  most  beautiful  and  accomplished  girl  they  had 
ever  seen.  Charlie  Moore,  the  artist  of  our  number, 
was  an  especial  admirer,  and  most  of  us  were  very 
jealous  of  him,  as  we  all  recognized  his  genius  and  his 
fine  appearance.  He  became  a  few  years  later  a  por- 
trait painter  of  no  mean  ability.  A.  L.  Chubb  was 
also  a  very  devoted  worshiper  at  a  respectful  distance. 
But  why  particularize  ?  There  was  not  one  of  us  who 
could  not  have  said  of  her : 

Like  some  fair  enchantress  she  lured  us  the  while 
By  the  light  of  her  eye  and  her  beautiful  smile, 
Till  we  worshiped  the  ground  upon  which  she  had  trod 
And  for  hers  would  have  bartered  the  favor  of  God. 

94 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  95 

I  think  that  had  we  possessed  the  genius  of 
Raphael,  and  attempted  to  paint  an  angel,  we  should 
only  have  tried  to  paint  her  likeness.  I  thought  then 
that  she  was  talented ;  in  later  years  I  was  not  sure  of 
this.  But  of  her  goodness  of  heart  and  her  girlish 
loveliness,  forty  years  have  caused  no  revision  of  judg- 
ment. A  few  years  later,  when  she  married  an  ordinary 
dry  goods  clerk  of  no  particular  genius  or  ability,  we 
wondered  at  her  choice,  though  still  we  thought  him 
very  fortunate  in  winning  her. 

On  my  return  to  Grand  Rapids  in  the  spring  of 
1853  she  was  dying  of  consumption,  I  first  saw  her 
early  in  April  ;  she  was  perfectly  conscious  that  she 
had  but  a  few  weeks  to  live,  but  death  had  no  terrors. 
The  ravages  of  disease  had  not  robbed  her  of  her 
beauty.  Her  eyes  were  as  bright  and  lustrous,  and  her 
smile  as  sweet,  as  they  had  been  in  the  years  gone  by. 
Her  mother  was  waiting  for  her  on  the  other  shore,  and  to 
her  enlightened  vision  heaven  seemed  very  near.  She 
had  one  unmarried  sister,  Harriet,  to  whom  she  was 
very  tenderly  attached,  and  whom  we  all  greatly  re- 
spected. 

The  spring  slowly  passed  into  summer ;  the  smiling 
May,  redolent  of  blossoms,  and  June,  decked  with 
roses,  counted  their  bright  and  tearful  days,  but  with 
the  coming  of  burning  July  she  passed  away.  I 
chanced  to  call  a  few  minutes  before  she  died,  and 
watched  the  death  pallor  gather  over  her  wasted 
features,  and  three  days  later  followed  in  the  sad  train 
which  bore  her  to  the  quiet  cemetery.  On  my  return, 
I  wrote  the  lines  of  which  Mr.  Garfield  spoke  in  his 
letter  of  August  6 : 


g6  REMINISCENCES    OF 

TO  MISS  H.   F.  SEYMOUR,  ON  THE  DEATH  OF  HER 
SISTER. 

Too  gifted,  good  and  beautiful  for  this  cold  world  of  ours, 
She  bade  its  scenes  a  last  farewell  to  dwell  in  Eden's  bowers ; 
And  mid  the  starry  hosts  on  high  she  sings  with  angel-choirs, 
While  seraphs  joins  in  unison  upon  their  golden  lyres: 
Then  hush  the  voice  of  weeping  and  dry  your  burning  tears, 
For  God  in  mercy  spared  her  the  weight  of  lengthened  years; 
And  though  the  earth  is  beautiful  and  gemmed  with  glories  now,. 
Weep  not  that  Death's  cold  coronet  'S  placed  upon  her  brow  ; 
For  though  the  body  molder  and  crumble  to  decay, 
The  soul,  as  God,  immortal,  can  never  fade  away. 

The  rainbow's  hues  are  glorious;  there's  beauty  in  the  flowers; 

God's  seal  is  on  each  leaflet  that  rustles  in  the  bowers ; 

There's  music  in  the  thunder,  and  in  its  jarring  roll 

There  is  a  fearful  majesty  that  moves  the  very  soul  ; 

There  \s  brilliance  in  the  lightning's  flash  and  in  the  meteor's  blaze,. 

And  there 's  a  milder  radiance  in  Luna's  paler  rays  ; 

There's  grandeur  in  the  mountain,  for  in  its  pride  sublime, 

As  God's  eternal  monument,  it  scorns  the  lapse  of  time ; 

There  's  glory  in  the  sunlight  at  the  approach  of  even, 

When  hill  and  vale  are  glowing  with  "  colors  dipped  in  heaven." 

But  oh !  there  is  a  brighter  land  where  rainbows  never  fade 

Where  flowerets  in  perennial  bloom  adorn  each  hill  and  gla'de  • 

There  tones  of  heaven-born  melody  are  floatiug  on  each  breeze 

And  golden-plumaged  warblers  are  singing  mid  the  trees  ; 

No  chilling  winds  are  blowing  upon  that  radiant  shore, 

And  tears  and  sighs  and  mourning  and  partings  are  no  more; 

And  when  our  years  are  numbered  upon  the  chart  of  Time 

With  loved  ones  reunited  within  that  glorious  clime 

Long  as  eternal  ages  roll,  no  hand  shall  rudely  sever 

The  tie  that  binds  each  kindred  heart  in  union  there  forever. 

The  autumnal  session  of  the  Eclectic  Institute 
opened  August  22,  1853.  Mr.  Jasper  Hull,  of  Sharon, 
Mercer  county,  Penn.,  but  for  many  years  past  of  Ma- 
haska county,  Iowa,  was  my  room-mate.  Many  of  the 
old  students  were  there  with  whom  I  had  been  associ- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  97 

ated  the  preceding  fall.  Harriet  and  Cordelia  Boynton, 
Sarah  and  Julia  Soule,  and  Edward  L.  Craw,  of  South 
Butler,  N.  Y.,  were  of  the  number. 

Prof.  Dunshee  was  teacher  of  both  Greek  and 
Latin  ;  he  also  had  occasional  students  in  Hebrew, 
German  and  French.  Drake  University  now  has  the 
advantage  of  his  profound  scholarship,  which  even 
thirty  years  ago  was  recognized  by  all  who  were  com- 
petent to  judge. 

On  Sept.  2  Mr.  Garfield  and  I  started  for  Euclid,  to 
attend  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Cuyahoga  county 
churches.  We  drove  as  far  as  Elder  William  Hay- 
den's,  near  Chagrin  Falls,  where  we  were  kindly  re- 
ceived. We  enjoyed  an  excellent  visit  with  his  talented 
daughter,  of  whom  I  have  before  spoken.  We  reached 
Euclid  Saturday  morning,  and  during  the  day  heard 
sermons  by  William  Hayden,  D.  S.  Burnet,  Isaac  Er- 
rett  and  A.  B.  Green. 

On  Sunday  morning  the  vast  congregation  gathered 
under  the  great  tent  and  was  addressed  by  Alexander 
Campbell.  His  theme  was  :  ' '  What  think  ye  of  the 
Christ?"  That  sermon  was  worth  a  journey  of  a  thou- 
sand miles.  In  the  afternoon  D.  S.  Burnet  gave  a 
most  eloquent  and  powerful  discourse.  He  held  the 
audience  of  several  thousand  for  fully  an  hour,  and 
none  seemed  weary.  Burnet  was  at  the  time  one  of  the 
great  men  of  the  church,  and  many  preferred  hearing 
him  to  Campbell. 

At  the  close  of  the  afternoon  service  a  great  con- 
course found  their  way  to  the  shore  of  Lake  Erie,  to 
witness  the  baptism  of  a  number  of  persons  who 
had  determined  thus  to  enlist  in  the  Master's  ser- 
vice.    The  spectacle  was  particularly  impressive.      Old 


98  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Erie,  blue  as  the  vault  of  heaven,  was  slowly  rolling 
its  crystal  waves  against  the  sandy  shore,  with  a  low 
murmur,  as  if  a  requiem  for  the  thousands  who  were 
sleeping  beneath  its  calm  surface.  It  was  near  the 
spot  where  a  few  months  before  a  great  steamer,  hot 
with  seething  flames,  had  been  buried  beneath  the 
waters,  while  the  mass  of  struggling  passengers  went 
down  to  death.  William  A.  Lillie  led  one  whom  I  had 
known  from  boyhood  into  the  crystal  water,  and  said  : 
"  By  the  authority  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  I  bap- 
tize thee  into  the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit.      Amen." 

Then  gently  he  buried  the  strong  man  beneath  the 
yielding  wave,  and  as  he  came  up,  pledged  to  walk  a 
new  life,  loyal  and  obedient  to  his  Saviour,  the  wait- 
ing multitude  broke  forth  in  a  song  of  praise  and 
thanksgiving.  As  James  and  I  stood  on  the  shore  and 
witnessed  the  solemn  rite,  we  felt  that  we  understood 
the  great  apostle  when  he  spoke  of  the  Christians  of 
his  day  as  "  buried  with  Christ  in  baptism." 

The  meeting  lasted  through  most  of  Monday,  and 
we  did  not  reach  Hiram  until  Tuesday  noon.  There 
are  few  matters  of  any  general  interest  to  relate  con- 
cerning the  remainder  of  the  school  term.  The  days 
passed  with  the  usual  routine  of  lessons,  relieved  of 
monotony  by  the  association  of  classmates,  among 
whom  were  a  large  number  of  ladies  and  gentlemen 
gathered  from  the  best  homes  of  Ohio  and  other 
States.  Mr.  Garfield  had  some  six  classes  to  teach, 
and  at  the  same  time  kept  up  his  studies  in  Latin  and 
Greek.  With  him  I  spent  much  of  my  time,  out  of 
school  hours  ;  together  we  usually  made  our  calls  and 
tramped  over  the  hills  in  the  vicinity  of  Hiram.     The 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  99 

term  closed  on  the  ioth  of  November.  I  came  out 
about  $18  in  debt,  and  so  was  obliged  to  spend  the 
winter  teaching  school  in  order  to  replenish  my  purse. 
I  may  say  here  that  this  was  my  last  attendance  at 
school.  I  had  spent  four  terms  at  the  Eclectic,  devot- 
ing the  principal  part  of  my  time  to  the  study  of  Latin 
and  mathematics,  though  I  commenced  Greek,  but 
made  no  great  progress.  It  was  my  intention  to 
return  for  the  spring  term,  but  fate  decided  other- 
wise. 

At  the  end  of  the  term  I  accompanied  my  room- 
mate, Mr.  Jasper  Hull,  to  his  home  at  Sharon,  Penn., 
and  took  a  school  for  the  winter,  about  one  and  a  half 
miles  west  of  that  city,  in  the  township  of  Brookfield, 
Trumbull  county,  Ohio.  I  received  one  dollar  per 
day,  with  board  at  the  several  homes  of  my  pupils. 

Mr.  Garfield  and  I  at  once  resumed  our  correspon- 
dence.    The  following  is  his  next  letter  : 

Niagara  Falls,  Nov.  17,  1853. 
Corydon,  My  Brother: — I  am  now  leaning  against  the  trunk  of  an 
evergreen  tree  on  a  beautiful  island  in  the  midst  of  Niagara's  foaming 
waters.  No  breath  of  wind  disturbs  the  leaves  of  evergreen,  which 
hang  mute  and  motionless  around  me.  Animated  nature  is  silent,  for 
the  voice  of  God,  like  the  "sound  of  many  waters,"  is  lifted  up  from 
the  swathing  cloud  of  hoary  foam  that  rests  upon  the  dark  abyss 
below. 

"  O  fearful  stream, 
How  do  thy  terrors  tear  me  from  myself 
And  fill  my  soul  with  wonder!" 

I  gaze  upon  the  broad  green  waters  as  they  come  placid  and 
smooth,  like  firm  battallions  of  embattled  hosts,  moving  in  steady 
columns,  till  the  sloping  channel  stirs  the  depths  and  maddens  all  the 
waters.  Then  with  angry  roar  the  legions  bound  along  the  opposing 
rocks,  until  they  reach  the  awful  brink,  where,  all  surcharged  with 
frantic  fury,  they  leap  bellowing  down  the  fearful  rocks  which  thunder 
back  the  sullen  echoes  of  thy  voice,  and  shout  God's  power  above  the 


IOO  REMINISCENCES    OF 

cloudy  skies !  O  man !  frail  child  of  dust  thou  art  to  lift  thy  insect 
voice  upon  this  spot  where  the  Almighty  thunders  from  the  swelling 
floods  that  lifts  to  heaven  their  hoary  breath,  like  clouds  of  smoking 
incense.  Oh  that  the  assembled  millions  of  the  earth  could  now  be- 
hold this  scene  sublime  and  awful,  and  adore  the  everlasting  God 
whose  fingers  piled  these  giant  clifis,  and  sent  his  sounding  seas  to 
thunder  down  and  shout  in  deafening  tones,  "  We  come  out  of  the 
hollow  of  his  hand,  and  haste  to  do  his  bidding." 

I  have  been  here  since  yesterday  morning,  and  shall  take  the  cars 
for  Buffalo,  at  2  P.  M.,  and  then  procetd  to  Hiram.  I  have  not  time 
to  tell  you  anything  about  this  wonder  of  the  world,  but  will  do  so 
sometime.     Write  soon  and  often,  and  I  will  answer. 

In  love  and  friendship  lam  your  brother,  James. 

P.  S. — Not  having  had  time  to  put  this  in  the  office,  I  leave  it 
here.  I  am  now  on  board  the  steamer  Ohio,  and  soon  start  for  Cleve- 
land.    I  hope  for  a  moonlit  lake,  but  fear  a  stormy  one.     Farewell. 

James. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

MY     SCHOOL      AT      SHARON,     PENN. LETTERS     FROM      MR. 

GARFIELD. 

The  village  of  Sharon,  Perm.,  lies  in  the  coal  and 
iron  region  of  Western  Pennsylvania  and  Eastern  Ohio. 
In  1854  it  contained  a  large  rolling  mill  and  nail  factory, 
and  was  surrounded  by  extensive  coal  mines,  and  the 
larger  part  of  the  inhabitants  were  interested  in  these 
industries.  To  the  west  of  the  village  was  a  hill,  rising 
rapidly  until  it  passed  the  line  dividing  the  two  great 
States,  and  my  scholars  were  able  to  start  on  their 
coasting  sleds  in  Ohio,  and  make  the  journey  for  quite 
a  distance  into  the  Keystone  State,  at  a  speed  rivaling 
the  fastest  railway  train. 

My  school-house  was  one  of  those  unique  specimens 
of  architecture,  not  found  under  the  Grecian,  Roman, 
Doric  or  Gothic  orders,  but  which  formed  an  order  of  it- 
self. It  seemed  as  though  the  lowest  and  least  suitable 
parcel  of  ground  in  the  district  had  been  selected  as  its 
site,  and  the  furniture  and  conveniences  of  the  house  were 
in  keeping  with  the  taste  displayed  in  its  position  and 
style.  But  many  of  my  pupils  were  bright  and  intelli- 
gent, and  it  was  a  pleasure  to  me  to  see  the  eye  brighten 
with  intellectual  fire  as  the  mind  comprehended  a  new 
thought,  or  seized  upon  a  new  principle.  To  feel  that 
they  were  profiting  by  my  labors,  and  gathering  up  the 
priceless  treasures  of  useful  knowledge,  and  that  in  after 


102  REMINISCENCES    OF 

years,  when  they  were  mingling  with  the  busy  crowd 
on  life's  great  battle-field,  they  would  remember  and 
appreciate  my  humble  efforts  in  their  behalf,  formed  no 
small  part  of  my  enjoyment  during  that  winter.  I  have 
never  revisited  that  part  of  the  country,  and  I  often 
wonder  what  has  been  the  fate  of  a  few  of  my  pupils. 
There  were  some  of  the  oddest  names  ever  bestowed 
upon  innocent  and  unoffending  babies  by  eccentric 
parents.  One  of  my  scholars,  a  boy,  answered  to 
the  name  of  "Niagara,"  and  his  sister  was  called 
' 'Velocity.  " 

I  have  never  forgotten  the  many  acts  of  kindness  I 
received  from  the  family  of  Mr.  Hull  that  winter.  I 
spent  many  of  my  Sundays  there,  and  always  received 
a  warm  and  hospitable  welcome.  I  was  a  stranger,  far 
away  from  my  home,  yet  I  was  treated  by  them  more 
as  a  son  and  brother  than  as  a  stranger. 

Prof.  Thomas  Munnell,  formerly  of  the  Eclectic 
Institute,  was  at  this  time  pastor  of  the  Church  of 
Christ  at  Sharon,  and  his  counsel  and  sympathy,  as 
well  as  that  of  his  family,  were  much  appreciated  by 
me. 

As  I  have  said,  I  had  frequent  letters  from  several 
of  my  Hiram  friends,  and  especially  from  Mr.  Garfield. 
I  append  the  following: 

Hiram,  Nov.  30,  1853. 

Dear  Cory don  /-Yours  of  Nov.  25  is  just  received,  with  $17.25 
enclosed,  which  I  will  hand  to  Mr.  Faurot  in  the  morning.  I  explained 
to  him  the  circumstances  when  I  received  your  other  letter;  so  that  is 
all  right. 

After  a  stay  of  one  day  and  a  half  at  the  Falls,  I  returned  to  Buffalo 
by  railroad,  and  thence  to  Cleveland  on  board  the  steamer  Ohio.  I  was 
on  the  lake  from  4  o'clock  Thursday,  p.  m.,  till  Friday,  at  IF  o'clock  at 
night.     However,  I  had  a  very  good  time.     I  started  alone,  but  found 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  IC3 

Craw  on  his  way  home,  and  he  went  by  way  of  the  Falls,  but.  did  not 
stay  but  a  few  hours.  I  will  not  desecrate  the  scene  by  attempting  a 
description  so  hurriedly  as  I  should  be  obliged  to  do  it  now  ;  but  I  hope 
to  do  it  sometime. 

The  Eclectic  batteries  are  again  playing  against  the  ramparts  of 
ignorance,  with  an  army  of  230  students,  and  receiving  reinforcements 
daily.  I  am,  as  usual,  teaching  seven  classes :  Arithmetic,  Grammar, 
Geometry,  Senior  Algebra,  History,  Greek  and  Latin.  My  Arithmetic 
class  numbers  ninety-nine,  and  more  are  coming.  But  I  must  stop 
now.     Write  soon  and  long.     In  love,  I  am  as  ever,  your  brother, 

James. 

The  following  letter  will  give  a  slight  idea  of  the 
immense  amount  of  work  which  was  done  that  winter 
by  Mr.  Garfield.  I  think  there  is  scarcely  a  case  on 
record  that  will  equal  it: 

Hiram,  Dec.  26,  1853. 

Dear  Corydon : — I  know  you  will  pardon  my  long  delay  in  answer- 
ing your  letter  of  the  9th  inst,,  for  my  time  has  been  pushed  out  of  ex- 
istence as  fast  as  humanity  can  bear. 

The  school  is  prospering  finely,  but  my  health  is  not  good.  My 
throat  is  worse  to-day  than  it  ever  was  before.  I  spoke  before  a  large 
audience  in  Aurora  yesterday,  and  now  my  words  are  almost  bloody. 

I  am  conducting  a  class  of  near  seventy  in  penmanship,  besides  my 
seven  classes,  which,  you  know,  makes  me  more  labor.  Still  I  hope  by 
care  to  stand  it  through.  I  want  to  hear  from  you  often,  and  will  write 
as  often  as  I  can.  My  writing  school  will  close  next  week,  and  then  I 
shall  be  relieved.  *  *  Do  write  to  me  soon,  and  tell  me  your 
calculations  for  the  future,  next  spring  especially.  It  is  now  nearly 
eleven  o'clock  at  night,  and  I  must  retire.  Give  my  love  to  Bro.  Mun- 
nell  and  family,  and  all  my  Sharon  acquaintances. 

In  love  and  friendship,  I  am  your  brother,  James. 

It  should  be  explained  that  in  those  days  the  teacher 
of  penmanship  wrote  all  the  copies  for  his  pupils,  and  for 
a  class  of  seventy  this  was  no  trifling  task.  But  while 
teaching  for  five  days  in  the  week,  seven  classes,  as 
stated  in  his  letter  of  Nov.  20,  and  doing  it  well,  he 
wrote  the  copies  and  gave  instructions  to  the  class  of 


104  REMINISCENCES    OF 

seventy  in  penmanship,  and  on  Sunday  preached  an 
excellent  sermon  to  the  church  at  Aurora,  ten  miles 
west  of  Hiram.  If  he  had  not  possessed  an  iron  con- 
stitution, such  work  would  have  been  impossible.  And 
this  was  not  the  work  of  one  week  merely,  but  was  con- 
tinued for  months.  That  winter  he  was  accustomed  to 
preach  nearly  every  Sunday,  and  he  gave  sufficient 
time  and  study  to  the  preparation  of  his  discourse  to 
make  them  everywhere  acceptable. 

I  answered  his  letter  at  once,  and  about  a  month 
later  received  the  following  reply. 

Hiram,  January  28,  1854. 

My  Dear  Brother: — I  sit  down  in  the  still  old  night,  to  write  a 
few  words  to  you  in  answer  to  your  welcome  epistle  of  twenty-one 
days  ago. 

My  health  is  very  good,  with  that  guttural  exception,  in  regard  to 
which  I  am  in  some  doubt,  though  I  have  quit  speaking  on  Sundays, 
which  I  think  will  help  me  some.  I,  however,  hope  for  the  best,  and 
keep  my  head  up. 

The  school  is  prospering  finely,  and  going  on  pleasantly  in  its  usual 
course,  but  I  presume  you  are  well  posted  on  these  matters  by  your 
female  correspondents  from  this  place. 

Well,  Corydon,  I  wish  you  were  here  to  sleep  with  me  to-night,  or 
rather  to  lie  awake  with  me.  I  feel  like  waking  up  the  ghosts  of  the 
dead  past,  and  holding  communion  with  spirits  of  former  days.  In 
this  calm  "  night  that  broodeth  thoughts  "  the  shadows  of  bygone  days 
flit  past,  and  I  review  each  scene  "  volucri  simillima  somno."  That 
long,  strange  story  of  my  boyhood,  the  taunts,  jeers,  and  cold,  averted 
looks  of  the  rich  and  the  proud,  chill  me  again  for  a  moment,  as  did 
the  real  ones  of  former  days.  Then  comes  the  burning  heart,  the  high 
resolve,  the  settled  determination,  and  the  days  and  nights  of 
struggling  toil — those  dreary  days  when  the  heavens  seemed  to  frown, 
and  the  icy  heart  of  the  cold  world  seemed  not  to  give  one  throb  in 
unison  with  mine.  I  thought  of  our  early,  peculiar  and  intimate  ac- 
quaintance;  of  all  that  well-remembered  band  of  strangers  then — now 
iriends  forever.  Some  of  them  are  rocked  in  dreamless  slumbers,  wait. 
ing  for  their  God  to  sound  the  trumpet  notes  that,  shaking  earth  and 
heaven,    shall    waken    them    again.     Others  survive.     Some  climb  the 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  IO5 

rugged  mounts  that  overlook  the  broad  Pacific's  bosom,  and  some  are 
tossed  upon  the  boiling  surge,  where  howl  the  winds  and  sweeps  the 
hurricane.  All,  all  are  scattered,  never  again  to  meet  till  Time's  un- 
measured years  are  done.  But  'twixt  all  these,  from  heart  to  heart,  a 
golden  chain  is  linked,  girdling  the  earth,  and  growing  brighter  by  the 
lapse  of  years,  when  viewed  with  memory's  vision.  May  rolling  suns 
and  gliding  years  'twixt  us  that  chain  ne'er  sever. 

Let  me  often  hear  from  you,  and  know  your  joys  and  sorrows,  hope 
-and  prospects.  But  the  night  draws  on  and  my  throbbing  temples  bid 
me  seek  the  blissful  revel  in  the  land  of  dreams. 

I  enclose  you  a  programme  of  the   "  Ladies'  Public  Lyceum." 
Corydon,  write  very  soon  and  often.      Excuse  my  delay,  for  I  am 
not  my  own  as  to  time.     In  faithful  love  I  am  your  James. 

The  programme  alluded  to  was  for  Jan.  19,  1854, 
and  among  the  attractions  announced  were  the  fol- 
lowing: 

China — An  Essay Mary  L.  Hubbell 

A  Leaf  from  Memory Almeda  A.  Booth 

The  Dark  Ages Nancy  E.  Mcllrath 

Ambition ,  Sarah  A.  Soule 

Evil  Speaking — A  Colloquy. 

Parts    by    Barbara  E.    Fisk,   Wealtha    A.    Hayden,     Mary    Hubbell, 

Mary  E.  Turner,  Sarah  A.  Soule,  Nancy  E.  Mcllrath,  and  others. 

Land  of  Palestine Mary  E.  Turner 

Immortality Wealtha  Ann  Hayden 

Among  the  ladies  named,  Mary  E.  Turner  is  the 
wife  of  President  B.  A.  Hinsdale,  of  Cleveland ;  Bar- 
bara E.  Fisk  married  Arthur  D.  Downing,  of  Chardon, 
Ohio,  but  has  been  dead  for  many  years;  Nancy  Mcll- 
rath married  Philip  Burns,  who  early  left  her  a  widow, 
and  she  is  the  present  wife  of  A.  M.  Atkinson,  of 
Wabash,  Ind. 

The  last  letter  I  received  from  Mr.  Garfield,  while 
at  Sharon,  was  as  follows : 


106  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Forest  City  House,       "i 
Cleveland,  February  27,  1854.  / 

Dear  Corydon : — I  take  a  few  moments  while  waiting  for  the  cars 
to  drop  a  line  to  you  so  that  you  may  know  my  whereabouts. 

Our  school  closed  on  Thursday  last,  and  I  suppose  you  have  been 
informed  before  this  time  of  all  that  affair  by  the  kindness  of  Bro.  A. 
Hull.  1  went  home  on  Friday  and  now  am  here,  waiting  for  the  cars 
to  Zanesville,  where  I  am  going  to  visit  Ballou  and  his  family.  I  shall 
probably  visit  the  Ohio  University  at  Athens  before  I  return,  and  I 
shall  return  via  Columbus  and  vis;t  the  city  a  few  days,  as  I  have  a 
cousin  living  there. 

I  have  just  heard  from  the  debate  which  J.  J.  Moss  has  been  hold- 
ing with  Joel  Tiffany.  I  had  my  information  from  a  non-professor, 
and  he  said  that  Bro.  Moss  flayed  the  man  alive,  proved  him  to  be  an 
infidel,  and  gained  a  complete  victory  before  the  bar  of  public  opinion. 
But  I  have  not  time  to  particularize. 

I  expect  to  be  in  Hiram  this  day  two  weeks  and  spend  the  last 
week  of  vacation  there.  Shall  I  see  you  there?  If  you  will  direct  a 
letter  to  me  at  Columbus  as  soon  as  you  receive  this  note,  I  shall  receive 
it  at  that  place.  I  would  also  be  pleased  to  meet  letters  there  from 
Bros.  Jasper  and  Amaziah  Hull.  Remember  me  to  them,  Bro.  Mun- 
nell  and  all. 

Hoping  to  see  you  soon,  and  hear  from  you  sooner,  in  great  haste, 
I  am  your  faithful  brother,  James. 

My  school  closed  on  the  nth  of  March,  and  I  had 
the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  in  the  estimation  of  my 
patrons  it  had  been  very  successful.  Unsolicited,  I  re- 
ceived the  following  flattering  testimonial : 

Brookfield,  March  13,  '54. 
This  may  certify  that  Corydon  E.  Fuller  has   taught  our  District 
School,  No.  4,  in  said  Township,  for  the  last  four  months  and  has  given 
full  satisfaction  to  all ;    much  the  best  ever  taught  in  said  District. 

E.  S.  Budd, 
Dist.  Director  and  Clerk. 

While  the  writer  fails  to  express  his  idea  in  perfect 
English,  yet  his  meaning  could  not  easily  be  mistaken, 
and  I  have  preserved  his  certificate  among  others 
through  all  the  intervening  years. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

CORRESPONDENCE  WITH  MISS  MARY  P.  WATSON. MY  SCHOOL 

AT  SCHRAALENBURGH,    N.    J. — WORLD'S  FAIR  OF   1854. 

In  order  to  explain  certain  events  and  incidents  in 
my  subsequent  acquaintance  and  association  with  Mr. 
Garfield,  it  seems  necessary  to  give  some  account  of 
matters  not  heretofore  mentioned. 

In  the  latter  part  of  November,  1852,  I  spent  an 
evening  at  the  residence  of  William  Hayden,  near  Cha- 
grin Falls,  in  the  company  of  his  talented  daughter, 
Wealtha  Ann,  of  whom  I  have  before  spoken,  and  dur- 
ing the  evening  she  showed  me  some  letters  from  a 
young  lady  friend  who  resided  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
and  whom  she  seemed  to  esteem  very  highly.  Half  in 
jest,  I  expressed  the  wish  that  I  had  such  a  corre- 
spondent, and  she  replied  that  possibly  she  might  in- 
duce her  friend  to  correspond  with  me.  I  at  once  urged 
her  to  do  so,  and  promised  to  do  my  best  to  make  my 
letters  interesting.  I  had  arranged  a  correspondence 
with  Miss  Hayden,  and  about  the  first  of  February, 
1853,  I  received  a  letter  from  her,  in  which  she  stated 
that  her  friend  had  consented  to  receive  a  letter  from 
me,  but  she  forgot  to  give  me  either  her  name  or  ad- 
dress, and  I  had  forgotten  both,  save  that  her  given  name 
was  Mary.  But  on  February  2  I  wrote  a  letter  to  her, 
and  enclosed  it  to  Miss  Hayden,  to  be  directed  and 
forwarded.      In  due  time  I  received  an  answer,  and  thus 


I08  REMINISCENCES    OF 

was  begun  an  acquaintance  which  has  continued  up  to 
the  present  time;  and  since  January  ist,  1855,  the  Mary 
P.  Watson,  to  whom  my  letter  found  its  way,  has  been 
known  as  Mary  P.  Fuller.  Her  home  was  near  Wol- 
cott,  Wayne  County,  New  York,  Our  letters  for  a 
year  were  merely  of  a  literary  character,  and  neither  of 
us  hesitated  about  showing  them  to  our  intimate 
friends.  I  think  Mr.  Garfield  read  nearly  all  of  them, 
and  as  he  was  very  frequently  mentioned  by  me,  she 
became  thus  acquainted  with  him  and  his  history. 

During  the  latter  part  of  my  term  of  school  at 
Brookfield  (near  Sharon,  Penn.),  through  the  friendly 
interest  of  Mr.  Edward  Chesebro,  principal  of  the  Un- 
ion School  at  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.,  I  received  an  offer 
of  the  school  at  the  village  of  Schraalenburgh,  Bergen 
County,  N.  J.,  which  had  been  in  charge  of  George  J. 
S.  Chesebro,  his  brother.  As  I  had  nevgr  visited  the 
East,  and  had  a  strong  desire  to  visit  its  great  cities, 
and  especially  as  I  had  by  this  time  become  sufficiently 
interested  in  my  stranger  correspondent  to  desire  a  per- 
sonal acquaintance,  I  decided  to  accept  the  proposition, 
and  on  my  way  to  pay  her  a  visit. 

I  have  made  these  explanations  to  render  intelligible 
many  subsequent  allusions  in  Mr.  Garfield's  letters,  and 
to  account  for  the  visit  we  made  together  to  the  "Old 
Stone  House  "  in  Butler  that  summer. 

As  I  stated  in  my  last  chapter,  my  school  closed  at 
Brookfield  March  11,  1854,  and  on  the  15th,  in  com- 
pany with  Jasper  and  Benjamin  Hull  and  their  sister 
Almira,  now  Mrs.  J.  D.  C.  McFarland,  of  DesMoines, 
Iowa,  I  went  to  Hiram.  I  was  much  disappointed  to 
find  that  Mr.  Garfield  had  not  yet  arrived,  but  after 
waiting  one  day  I  was  obliged  to  go  to    Chardon,  as  I 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  IO9 

was  to  receive  a  letter  there  from  the  school  board  at 
Schraalenburgh,  informing  me  how  soon  I  must  report 
for  duty. 

On  arriving  at  Chardon  I  found  the  expected  letter 
awaiting  me,  from  which  I  learned  that  I  would  be  ex- 
pected the  first  week  in  April,  as  Mr.  Chesebro  would 
close  his  school  on  the  3d,  and  not  more  than  one 
week  vacation  was  desired.  But  I  could  not  start  on 
my  journey  without  seeing  James,  and  on  Monday,  the 
20th,  I  went  back  to  Hiram  to  pay  him  a  visit.  The 
spring  term  of  the  Eclectic  had  just  opened,  and  many 
of  the  old  students  were  there.  I  staid  one  night  only, 
but  managed  during  the  twenty-four  hours  of  my  stay 
to  see  quite  a  number  of  old  friends,  many  of  them  for 
the  last  time.  Only  twice  since  have  I  been  at  Hiram, 
once  in  March,  1861,  when  the  black  cloud  of  civil  war 
was  gathering  over  the  land,  from  which  a  few  days 
later  came  the  thunder  which  awoke  a  sleeping  nation, 
as  it  echoed  from  the  crumbling  walls  of  Sumter,  and 
again,  after  the  lapse  of  a  quarter  of  a  century,  in  June, 
1886. 

After  a  visit  to  Chagrin  Falls,  and  also  among  my 
relatives  at  Chardon,  on  the  morning  of  March  27,  1854, 
I  started  for  the  East.  The  next  day  I  reached  South 
Butler,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  29th  paid  my  first 
visit  to  my  stranger  correspondent.  A  day  or  two 
later  I  proceeded  on  my  journey,  via  the  New  York 
Central  and  Hudson  River  Railroad.  While  on  the 
latter  road,  about  5  oclock  p.  m.  of  March  31,  at  a 
point  some  fifty  miles  below  Albany,  we  came  in  col- 
lision with  an  immense  rock,  which  had  rolled  down 
the  cliffs,  with  which  every  traveler  is  familiar,  at  whose 
base  the  road  finds  its  narrow  pathway  along  the  water's 


HO  REMINISCENCES    OF 

edge.  The  train  was  running  at  full  speed,  and  the 
shock  was  terrific.  The  locomotive  was  demolished, 
and  the  tender,  baggage  car,  etc.,  completely  wrecked. 
The  engineer  and  two  brakemen  were  killed,  or 
fatally  injured,  and  others  severely  hurt.  We  were  de- 
tained for  several  hours,  and  did  not  ,each  New  York 
until  the  next  morning. 

It  was  my  first  visit  to  the  great  metropolis,  and 
there  were  very  many  objects  of  engrossing  interest. 
To  my  unaccustomed  eyes  it  was  more  than  I  had 
dreamed  of,  though  New  York  in  1854  was  not  what  it 
is  now.  The  most  prominent  building  I  remember  on 
Broadway  was  Barnum's  old  museum  ;  the  postofifice 
was  then  in  the  old  Dutch  church ;  the  Astor  House 
was  the  principal  hotel.  Old  Trinity  stood,  as  now,  in 
the  center  of  its  acre  of  graves,  at  the  head  of 
Wall  Street.  The  tomb  of  Alexander  Hamilton  and 
other  monuments  preserved  the  memory  of  the  ancient 
dead,  while  Broadway  rumbled  with  the  thunder  of 
traffic,  and  forbade  the  quiet  sleep  of  even  those  in  their 
graves.  But  no  elevated  railroad  was  then  seen  be- 
hind the  church ;  no  electric  light  lit  up  the  streets  at 
night. 

At  3  o'clock  that  afternoon  I  took  passage  on  a  little 
steamboat  for  Huyler's  Landing,  a  point  at  the  foot  of 
the  Palisades,  some  seventeen  miles  north  of  the  city, 
nearly  opposite  Yonkers,  where  we  arrived  in  due  time. 
I  climbed  the  mighty  ledge  of  rocks  which  rises  so 
majestically  from  the  water's  edge,  and  was  fortunate 
enough  to  secure  a  ride  with  an  accommodating  Dutch- 
man to  Schraalenburgh,  some  four  miles  distant. 

How  can  I  describe  Schraalenburgh  ?  It  was  not  a 
village ;  there  was  not  enough  of  it  to  deserve  such  a 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  I  1 1 

cognomen.  There  were  two  churches,  both  of  stone, 
old  and  grim  as  the  creeds  of  those  who  worshiped  in 
their  somber  pews.  There  was  one  small  store  kept  by 
Mr.  John  Quackenbush,  and  a  pretty  school-house  with 
a  small  front  yard  neatly  flagged  with  stone.  My  home 
during  my  residence  in  the  place  was  with  Mr.  Corne- 
lius Quackenbush.  He  and  his  family  were  descendants 
of  the  Hollanders  who  settled  in  Bergen  County  some 
two  hundred  years  before,  and  I  am  not  certain  that  a 
single  new  idea  had  found  a  lodgment  in  his  head  dur- 
ing the  sixty  years  he  had  breathed  the  quiet  air  of  his 
sleepy  home.  All  the  farms  were  small  and  well  tilled, 
and  the  people  were  mostly  wealthy.  Their  principal 
crop  was  strawberries  for  the  New  York  market.  Mrs. 
Quackenbush  was  a  good  old  motherly  soul,  and  raised 
the  finest  dahlias  I  ever  saw — of  course,  for  market. 
They  took  no  paper,  and  their  family  library  consisted 
of  the  Bible,  an  old  volume  of  Whitfield's  Sermons, 
Jacobus'  Notes  on  Matthew,  Walker's  Dictionary, 
Page's  Theory  and  Practice  of  Teaching,  Blake's  Phil- 
osophy, a  Dutch  Reformed  Psalm  Book,  and  one  other 
book.  These  were  all.  The  language  spoken  by  the 
older  people  was  a  mongrel  dialect  supposed  to  be 
Holland  Dutch,  but  so  provincialized  that  one  Sunday, 
when  a  Dominie  from  Holland  attempted  to  preach  to 
the  people  in  his  native  tongue,  he  was  but  partially 
understood.  Dominie  Blauvelt  was  a  man  of  some 
culture,  and  had  two  quite  interesting  daughters. 

On  Monday,  April  3,  Mr.  Chesebro  closed  his 
school,  and,  as  I  was  not  to  commence  teaching  until 
the  10th,  I  paid  a  visit  to  New  York  to  see  the  Crystal 
Palace  and  the  "World's  Fair,"  which  was  then  in 
progress.     There  is  no  doubt  but,  in  comparison  with 


112  REMINISCENCES   OF 

the  Centennial  or  the  New  Orleans  Fair,  the  display  of 
1854  was  of  small  proportions,  but  to  me  it  was  large 
enough ;  and  within  the  walls  of  the  Crystal  Palace 
were  displayed  a  variety  of  objects  sufficient  to  satisfy 
for  the  time  my  curiosity.  The  gallery  of  paintings 
especially  attracted  my  attention,  though  the  multitude 
of  objects  was  too  great  for  me  to  attempt  a  descrip- 
tion. I  find  my  notes  in  my  journal  are  not  at  all  full. 
During  the  week  I  wrote  to  Mr.  Garfield,  and  the 
following  is  his  answer  : 

Hiram,  April,  16,  1854. 

Dear  Corydon: — Your  very  welcome  letter  was  received  in  due 
time,  and  I  hasten  to  respond.  I  rejoice  and  give  thanks  to  the  Ruler 
of  all  things  that  your  life  has  been  preserved  amid  dangers  seen  and 
unseen,  and  you  have  arrived  safely  at  your  destination. 

I  am  happy  to  inform  you  that  my  health  is  better  than  formerly. 
The  difficulty  in  my  throat  is  not  so  much  aggravated  by  the  labor  of 
this  term  as  of  sessions  hitherto,  although  I  have  a  large  amount  of 
labor  to  perform. 

I  hear  a  Virgil  class  recite  at  5  o'clock  in  the  morning,  which 
makes  me  arise  in  good  season.  My  other  classes  are :  Grammar,  two 
Algebra  classes,  Geometry,  Sallust  and  Xenophon.  Also,  Hull,  Almeda 
and  I  recite  in  Demosthenes,  to  Dunshee.  This,  you  see,  gives  me  more 
mental  but  less  guttural  labor  than  Arithmetic,  History,  etc.,  would  do. 
The  term  is  moving  off  pleasantly,  with  180  students  enrolled. 

I  was  never  absent  from  town  a  day  since  I  commenced  to  teach 
here  till  last  Thursday  and  Friday  week.  On  Thursday,  April  13,  I 
witnessed  the  marriage  of  our  mutual  friends  and  Eclectic  school-mates, 
H.  B.  Boynton  and  Susan  E.  Smith.  They  were  married  by  Bro.  Lillie, 
at  Bro.  M.  Soule's,  in  the  presence  of  a  large  company.  Happiness  and. 
cheese  are  before  them ;  may  they  have  an  abundance  of  both. 

All  else  is  in  statu  quo.  It  is  snowing  furiously  now,  and  has  been 
all  day.     April  is  frozen  to  the  heart.     .     .     . 

I  suppose  you  have  ere  this  commenced  your  school.  I  feel  the 
greatest  anxiety  for  your  success.  You  will,  of  course,  be  obliged  to 
study  and  conform  to  the  peculiarities  of  the  country  and  community 
somewhat.  Much  depends  upon  your  success  the  first  session.  Allow 
•^e  to  say  that  you  and  I  need  to  use  great  care  in  a  new  community,  or 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  I  I  3 

they  will  become  cloyed.     We  should  reveal  ourselves  gradually.     All 
can  not  endure  sudden  thunderbolts.     You  understand  me,  of  course. 
Then  you  have  seen  Old  Ocean,  and  exclaimed : 

"  There  is  a  pleasure  in  the  pathless  woods, 

There  is  a  rapture  on  the  lonely  shore. 
There  is  society  where  none  intrudes 

By  the  deep  sea,  and  music  in  its  roar." 

You  told  me  nothing  about  it.  Of  course  you  will  give  me  a  long 
description  of  it,  and  your  residence,  etc.,  etc.  I  want  to  hear  from 
you  very  often.  You  must  pardon  this  worst  writing  I  ever  did  for 
you;  I  think  perhaps  I'll  do  better  next  time.  With  the  best  wishes 
for  your  temporal  and  spiritual  welfare,  I  am  as  ever,  fraternally  your 

James. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

MR.    GARFIELD    AND    I    VISIT    BUTLER,    N.    Y. A    NIGHT    ON 

THE  HUDSON. HIS  VISIT  TO  SCHRAALENBURGH. 

Hiram,  May  13,  1854. 

Dear  Corydon : — Your  very  welcome  letter  was  received  in  due 
time  and  after  ten  days  I  snatch  the  first  breathing  place  to  make  a 
short  response.  I  very  much  thank  you  for  that  good  long  and  inter- 
esting letter.  Be  assured  it  does  me  much  good  to  receive  such  an  one 
from  you. 

Right  glad  I  am  to  hear  that  you  are  succeeding  well  in  your 
school,  since  so  much  depends  on  your  first  effort;  for  when  one  gets 
his  name  and  reputation  established,  especially  among  a  slow-paced 
German  population,  he  can  then  sway  them  easily. 

It  is  strange  to  me  that  any  set  of  Christians  can  hold  so  tenaciously 
to  any  dogma  so  cold  and  comfortless  as  the  Calvinistic  faith,  and  at  the 
same  time  regard  the  gospel  as  a  scheme  of  benevolence  and  even- 
handed  justice.  Certainly  I  could  never  rejoice  in  such  a  gospel.  May 
the  day  soon  come  when  the  nations,  tongues  and  people  that  lie  in 
darkness  may  see  the  glorious  light  and  liberty  of  the  gospel  of  our 
blessed  Lord. 

The  affairs  of  the  Eclectic  are  prosperous,  and  the  term  passes  with 
great  evenness  and  pleasantness.  I  am  now  doing  more  than  I  ever  did 
before,  but  shall  be  relieved  soon  by  the  finishing  of  my  class  in  pen- 
manship, consisting  of  thirty-two  members  at  $1.25  each  for  sixteen 
lessons.     This  will  do  a  little  for  me. 

My  mind  is  very  much  drawn  out  upon  the  subject  of  colleges,  and 
where  I  shall  go.  This  question  must  be  decided  by  me  very  soon. 
You  know  my  views  concerning  Bethany,  and  are  not  a  total  stranger 
to  the  fires  of  ambition  that  burn  within  my  soul.  But  necessity  will 
sometimes  lay  its  iron  hand  upon  the  proudest  resolves.  If  I  go  to  an 
Eastern  college  it  will  take  me  two  years  to  finish  the  course,  and  at 
the  extremely  high  ra'tes  of  expenses  I  could  not  stay  more  than  one 
year  without  stopping  and  laboring  for  another  year  or  so  to  enable  me 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  U5 

to  complete  the  course.  Now,  whether  to  do  that,  or  go  to  Bethany 
and  finish  in  one  year,  is  the  question.  What  say  you  ?  While  trying 
to  peer  into  the  future  my  temple  throbs  even  at  the  lone  midnight, 
when  the  world  is  asleep  and  quiet  dreams  are  falling  from  the  mor- 
phean  leaves  of  Pluto's  somber  elm.  Would  that  the  path  of  life  might 
be  marked  out  for  me  by  a  wiser  being  than  man.  So  uncertain  are  all 
of  life's  feeble  plans,  and  so  changing  are  human  pursuits,  I  know  not 
which  way  to  turn. 

Corydon,  I  have  not  an  intimate,  congenial  associate  among  all  the 
young  men  of  Hiram.  The  world  does  not  know  me,  and  I  care  little 
to  know  it.  But  I  am  running  away  with  time  and  thought.  I  must 
stop.  Let  me  hear  from  you  often,  and  lengthy,  and  I  know  you  will 
ever  have  the  heart  to  forgive  my  hasty  and  pointless  letters,  consider- 
ing my  circumstances.  With  the  best  love,  I  am,  dear  Corydon,  your 
brother,  James. 

The  above  letter  reached  me  at  sleepy  Schraalen- 
burgh  on  the  20th  of  May,  and  was  answered  promptly. 
I  had  always  had  a  strong  prejudice  against  Bethany 
College,  as  I  believed  it  impossible  for  an  earnest 
Northern  man  to  go  there  unless  at  the  sacrifice  of  his 
manliness.  It  was  well  known  that  no  discussion  was 
allowed  upon  the  subject  of  slavery ;  perhaps  it  would 
be  more  accurate  to  say  that  no  word  must  be  spoken 
in  criticism  of  the  barbarous  institution  ;  those  who 
cared  to  defend  it  could  speak  freely.  It  will  be  re- 
membered that  the  repeal  of  the  Missouri  Compromise 
and  the  attempt  to  open  Kansas  and  Nebraska  to 
slavery  had  just  been  accomplished.  The  Fugitive 
Slave  Law  of  1850  was  occasionally  enforced,  and  the 
nation  was  stirred  to  its  profoundest  depths.  I  felt  that 
it  was  not  possible  for  James  A.  Garfield  to  spend  a 
year  at  Bethany,  and  surrender  the  right  of  free  speech 
at  the  command  of  the  isolent  sons  of  slaveholders.  I 
knew  too  well  his  hatred  of  tyranny,  and  his  impatience 
at  any  attempt  to  suppress  free  discussion,  and  I  did 


I  16  REMINISCENCES    OF 

not  believe  he  would  be  safe  among  the  class  who 
would  be  his  associates,  and  I  urged  him  not  to  think 
of  going  there  to  graduate. 

I  had  decided  to  spend  a  few  days  before  and  in- 
cluding the  Fourth  of  July  at  Butler  and  vicinity,  and 
had  so  informed  Mr.  Garfield.  During  the  strawberry 
season  nearly  all  my  scholars  were  usually  picking  the 
fruit,  and  a  vacation  of  two  o«-  three  weeks  was  cus- 
tomary. Accordingly,  on  the  15th  of  June  I  dismissed 
my  school  until  the  10th  of  July.  I  spent  a  few  days 
in  New  York  city  and  at  Guilderland,  a  small  village 
near  Albany,  and  reached  Butler  the  evening  of  the 
24th.      I  received  the  following  letter  a  few  days  later: 

Chagrin  Falls,  June  26,  '54. 

My  Dear  Corydon : — The  last  link  is  broken,  and  I  have  snapped 
the  last  arrow  upon  the  grave  of  my  fathers.  The  scenes  of  our  dear 
Eclectic  are  over  and  she  is  left  covered  with  glory.  I  can  never  go  to 
Bethany.  Next  Thursday  I  start  for  the  Old  Bay  State.  Within  ten 
days  I  shall  be  at  Williams,  Mass.,  where  I  may  remain  two  years. 
Again  I  am  to  stand  alone,  among  strangers  and  in  a  strange  land. 
Must  I  not  see  you?  I  know  not  where  to  stop.  I  will  look  out  of 
the  station  nearest  to  South  Butler,  and  if  I  could  see  Corydon  and 
E.  L.  Craw  I  should  be  very  much  rejoiced.  I  think  I  shall  be  there 
next  Saturday.  I  have  no  more  time  to  write,  but  shall  hope  to  see 
you  soon.     In  love,  I  am  as  ever. 

J.  A.  Garfield. 

Everest  sends  his  love. 

James. 

The  village  of  South  Butler  lies  about  four  miles 
north  of  Savannah,  a  station  of  the  New  York  Central 
Railroad,  about  midway  between  Rochester  and  Syra- 
cuse. It  was  one  of  the  few  points  in  Central  New 
York  where  there  was  a  church  of  Disciples  of  Christ, 
one  having  been  built  up  here  under  the  able  teaching 
of  J.  I.  Lowell  and  other  pioneers  in  the  Reformation. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  I  I  7 

The  home  of  my  stranger  correspondent  was  some  four 
miles  still  further  norch,  and  I  did  not  receive  Mr.  Gar- 
field's letter  in  time  to  meet  him  at  the  railroad.  But 
E.  L.  Craw,  whose  name  he  mentions,  was  a  son  of 
Morris  Craw,  of  South  Butler,  former  student  at  Hi- 
ram, and  Mr.  Garfield  found  his  way  on  Saturday  to 
that  hospitable  home,  where  he  was  warmly  welcomed. 
On  Sunday  morning  the  Watsons,  where  I  was  visiting, 
went  to  church  at  South  Butler,  and  upon  entering  we 
found  Mr.  Garfield,  who  had  arrived  before  us.  His 
fame  had  preceded  him  and  he  was  at  once  called  upon 
to  preach,  which  he  did  to  the  delight  of  his  hearers. 
I  have  no  notes  of  his  subject,  and  may  here  say  that  it 
was  not  my  good  fortune  often  to  hear  his  sermons. 
While  we  were  both  at  Hiram  he  occasionally  went  to 
some  of  the  surrounding  towns  to  fill  an  appointment, 
but  did  not  speak  at  home,  as  Hiram  was  full  of  older 
preachers. 

In  the  afternoon  we  all  went  to  hear  Rev.  Antoinette 
Brown,  who  was  then  pastor  of  one  of  the  village 
churches.  We  were  much  pleased  with  her  discourse, 
and  were  unanimous  in  pronouncing  her  a  lady  of  tal- 
ent. 

This  was  the  2d  of  July,  1854.  Just  at  night  we — 
that  is,  Mr.  Garfield,  Miss  Watson  and  myself — returned 
to  the  '  'Old  Stone  House, "  where  we  spent  the  next  two 
days.  I  have  a  very  full  account  of  the  events  of  those 
and  the  succeeding  days  until  the  10th  of  July.  The 
old  farm  had  been  the  home  of  Joseph  Watson  for 
nearly  fifty  years.  He  had  planted  the  long  avenue  of 
sugar  maples  which  interlaced  their  branches  over  the 
highway,  and  the  hot  sun  of  burning  July  could  not 
penetrate  the  dense  foliage.     The  stone  dwelling  was 


Il8  REMINISCENCES    OF 

cool  and  pleasant.  The  inmates  were  intelligent  peo- 
ple, and  James  and  I  were  ready  to  enjoy  the  rest  and 
pleasant  company  with  full  appreciation.  We  read  Ik 
Marvel's  "Dream  Life";  we  read  two  or  three  of 
George  D.  Prentice's  poems ;  we  read  letters,  and  we 
visited';  and  I  am  confident  we  all  enjoyed  ourselves. 

On  the  morning  of  July  5  James  and  I  started  for 
New  York  City.  We  went  to  Clyde  by  a  stage  which 
in  those  days  made  regular  trips  between  that  place  and 
Wolcott,  passing  half  a  mile  west  of  the  Watson  home- 
stead. We  arrived  at  Albany  in  time  for  the  evening 
boat  for  New  York.  It  was  the  Hendrick  Hudson,  long 
known  as  the  finest  boat  on  the  river.  Both  of  us  had 
anticipated  much  from  this,  our  first  journey  on  the 
beautiful  Hudson.  We  had  heard  it  called  the  Ameri- 
can Rhine,  and  of  the  real  Rhine  Longfellow  had  said : 
"  O,  the  pride  of  the  German  heart  is  this  noble  river  ! 
And  right  it  is  ;  for  of  all  rivers  of  this  beautiful  earth 
there  is  none  so  beautiful  as  this.  There  is  hardly  a 
league  of  its  whole  course,  from  its  cradle  in  the  snowy 
Alps  to  its  grave  in  the  sands  of  Holland,  which  boasts 
not  its  peculiar  charm." 

We  watched  Albany  as  it  faded  in  the  distance,  and 
then  we  watched  the  dying  daylight ;  but  soon  the 
moon  arose  in  her  beauty  and  cast  a  silvery  radiance 
over  the  sparkling  waters.  Then  a  train  of  cars  rushed 
by  along  the  water's  edge  to  our  left ;  the  iron  horse  was 
more  than  a  match  for  the  Titan  who  turned  the  great 
wheels  which  urged  forward  our  floating  palace.  We 
spoke  of  Robert  Fulton,  and  of  the  first  trip  of  his 
crude  steamboat  over  these  same  waters,  and  of  the 
mighty  results  from  his  faith  and  hope  and  work  !  Ever 
and  anon  we  passed  a   schooner,  either  lazily  floating 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  I  I9 

along  or  towed  by  some  toiling  but  ambitious  little  tug, 
with  nerves  of  iron  and  lungs  of  fire. 

We  sat  upon  the  deck,  among  a  great  crowd  of 
strangers,  until  late  into  the  night,  and  then  sought  our 
state-room  for  a  few  hours  of  sleep ;  but  with  the  first 
rays  of  approaching  day  we  again  took  our  places  on 
deck.  We  were  still  some  twenty-five  miles  above  the 
great  city,  near  Sunnyside,  the  home  of  Washington 
Irving ;  on  our  right  arose  that  mighty  wall  of  rocks 
known  as  the  Palisades,  and  on  the  left  were  smiling  vil- 
lages, beautiful  homesteads  and  a  city  or  two,  the  latter 
dwarfed  by  their  proximity  to  the  metropolis.  At  6 
o'clock,  July  6,  the  steamer  reached  her  wharf  at  the 
foot  of  Liberty  street.  After  breakfast  we  proceeded 
to  the  "  Crystal  Palace,"  and  there  spent  the  forenoon. 
In  the  afternoon  we  visited  the  Washington  Market, 
Trinity  Church  and  Barnum's  Museum.  The  next 
morning  we  went  to  Greenwood  Cemetery,  and  spent 
the  forenoon.  We  also  called  at  the  Tribune  office,  and 
I  have  noted  that  we  had  the  good  fortune  to  see  Mr. 
Greeley.      I  am  not  so  sure  that  he  saw  us. 

While  walking  about  the  city  during  one  of  these 
two  days  we  noticed  bunches  of  fruit  at  some  of  the 
fruit-stands  which  were  new  to  us.  It  should  be  re- 
membered that  this  was  over  thirty  years  ago,  and 
tropical  fruits  seldom  found  their  way  into  our  Western 
villages  or  cities,  and  it  need  not  be  accepted  as  proof 
positive  that  either  Mr.  Garfield  or  I  was  exceptionally 
ignorant.  He  called  my  attention  to  a  fine  bunch,  and 
asked  me  what  they  were.  I  admitted  that  I  did  not 
know,  and  he  then  turned  to  a  gentleman  standing  by, 
and  asked  him  the  name  of  the  fruit.  The  man  at  first 
seemed  to  suspect  the  question  to  be  a  joke,  but  finally 


120  REMINISCENCES    OF 

answered  thet  they  were  bananas.  We  passed  on,  and 
Mr.  Garfield  said:  "He  thinks  we  are  exceedingly 
green,  not  to  know  what  every  street  urchin  here 
knows ;  but  what  difference  does  it  make  what  he  thinks 
of  us  ?  We  shall  never  see  him  again,  and  we  have 
learned  something  which  we  did  not  before  know.  I 
have  long  since  determined  not  to  let  an  opportunity 
pass  for  learning  something,  simply  because  I  must  ex- 
pose my  ignorance  in  so  doing."  I  think  one  secret  of 
his  marvelous  fund  of  information  upon  almost  any 
subject  was  his  acting  upon  the  principle  above  ex- 
pressed. 

At  3  o'clock,  Friday,  July  7,  1854,  we  started  for 
Schraalenburgh,  where  we  arrived  in  due  time,  and 
were  cordially  received  at  the  cool  stone  dwelling  of 
Mr.  Cornelius  Quackenbush.  Mr.  Q.  was  a  fine  spec- 
imen of  the  thrifty  descendants  of  the  Hollanders,  who 
for  two  hundred  years  had  cultivated  the  red  sands  of 
Bergen  county.  He  was  honest  and  pious  ;  his  creed 
was  the  same  as  that  of  his  forefathers,  and  he  never 
had  a  doubt  or  a  fear  but  that  its  teachings  were  truth 
itself,  without  alloy.  He  read  very  little  ;  the  fact  that 
the  mail  came  twice  a  week  seemed  to  him  a  useless 
extravagance,  as  once  a  week,  or  once  a  month,  for 
that  matter,  would  have  done  just  as  well.  His  farm 
was  not  for  sale ;  it  had  no  price.  He  owed  no  man 
anything,  and  had  money  in  the  bank,  and  possibly  in 
some  covert  hiding-place  in  his  old  house.  On  Sundays 
he  went  to  church,  and  slept  peacefully  in  his  high- 
backed  pew  through  the  long  and  tedious  sermon  of 
the  good  old  dominie  ;  he  gave  thanks  before  and  at 
the  close  of  each  meal  ;  and  at  family  worship  his  good 
wife  read  from  God's  word,  and  he  always  prayed  that 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  121 

we  all  might  go  ' '  where  the  wicked  cease  from  trouble 
and  the  weary  are  at  rest. "  New  York  was  only  sixteen 
miles  away,  but  the  life  pulsating  in  every  vein  of  the 
oreat  city  had  utterly  failed  to  stir  the  sluggish  heart  of 
Schraalenburgh.  There  was  not  much  difference  be- 
tween the  sleepers  in  the  homes  and  the  sleepers  in  the 
church  yards. 

Now  and  then  a  bright  young  man  or  woman  burst 
away  from  these  quiet  homes  and  found  a  place  in  the 
great  city.  Very  few  ever  went  further  from  home. 
The  great  West  was  an  unknown  land,  and  tales  of  its 
rising  power  were  seldom  credited. 

Politics  could  not  excite  such  people.  They  took 
no  papers  ;  what  mattered  it  to  them  whether  Nebraska 
should  be  tilled  by  freemen  or  by  slaves  ?  As  well  ex- 
pect them  to  take  an  interest  in  the  domestic  affairs  of 
the  moon.  Of  course,  there  were  exceptions.  Dr. 
Hasbrouck  was  a  talented,  well  educated  physician, 
thoroughly  posted  in  the  affairs  of  the  day.  He  man- 
aged to  receive  the  city  dailies  by  private  conveyance, 
not  satisfied  with  semi-weekly  mail.  Domine  Blauvelt 
was  a  man  of  some  education,  but  his  mind  was  dwarfed 
by  his  creed,  and  he  studied  to  avoid  rebuking  any  of 
the  sins  of  which  he  feared  his  hearers  might  be  guilty. 
Some  of  them  bought  lottery  tickets  and  many  got 
drunk  ;  so  gambling  and  intemperance  must  not  be  cen- 
sured. 

Mr.  Garfield  and  I  spent  Saturday  and  Sunday  writ- 
ing letters  and  making  calls  among  my  acquaintances ; 
of  course  attending  church  on  Sunday  morning  and 
hearing  Dominie  Blauvelt.  I  have  remarked  of  the 
sermon  in  my  journal  that  we  ' '  were  very  much  pleased 
— when    he  eot  through."     If  heaven  was  to  be  one 


122 


REMINISCENCES    OF 


"eternal  Sabbath,"  we  sincerely  hoped  he  would  not 
be  the  preacher. 

We  had  one  of  our  old-fashioned  visits,  and  talked 
over  our  hopes  and  plans,  as  we  had  so  often  done 
before. 

I  have  been  particular  in  giving  all  these  details  of 
facts  and  dates,  because  in  several  of  his  biographies 
there  are  found  erroneous  statements  as  to  the  time 
Mr.  Garfield  went  to  Williams  College.  Every  date  I 
have  given  I  know  to  be  absolutely  correct. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

MISTAKES  AND  FABLES    OF    MR.    GARFIELD'S    BIOGRAPHERS. 

HIS   JOURNEY  TO  WILLIAMSTOWN,    AND   EXAMINATION 

BY  PRES.    HOPKINS. 

My  last  chapter  left  Mr.  Garfield  my  guest  in  quiet 
Schraalenburgh,  where  he  had  come  to  spend  a  few 
days  before  going  to  Williamstown,  Mass.,  to  enter 
Williams  College.  Before  tracing  his  history  further,  it 
may  be  well  to  note  more  particularly  a  few  facts  con- 
cerning the  three  years  which  had  passed  since  we  first 
met  at  Hiram,  as  there  are  numerous  errors  which  have 
crept  into  his  biographies  now  before  the  public :  some 
of  these  errors  may  be  deemed  of  little  importance,  but 
it  may  be  of  interest  to  ages  that  are  to  come  to  be 
possessed  of  more  accurate  statements  than  many  which 
have  heretofore  appeared. 

As  stated  in  a  former  chapter,  the  first  term 
of  the  Eclectic  Institute  commenced  November  26. 
1850.  Mr.  Garfield  and  I  entered  the  school  Aug. 
25,  185 1,  at  the  beginning  of  the  third  term,  which 
closed  November  14,  185  1.  The  winter  of  185  1-2  we 
were  both  absent,  he  teaching  his  second  winter  term 
at  Warrensville,  and  I  teaching  at  Hambden.  The  fol- 
lowing spring,  on  March  22,  1852,  we  both  returned  to 
Hiram.  This  term  of  the  Eclectic  closed  June  25, 
1852,  and  was  followed  by  a  vacation  of  about  eight 
weeks,  and  it  was  during  this  vacation,  and  this  only, 


124 


REMINISCENCES    OF 


that  Mr.  Garfield  worked  at  carpenter  work  at  Hiram, 
and  he  never  after  worked  at  any  manual  labor,  but 
during  all  the  subsequent  time  spent  by  him  at 
Hiram,  he  taught  in  the  school,  usually  teaching  seven 
classes,  and  at  the  same  time  pursuing  his  own  studies. 
He  was  esteemed  by  those  in  his  classes  an  excellent 
teacher,  and,  while  I  was  at  no  time  under  his  instruc- 
tion, and  therefore  can  not  give  any  personal  testimony 
as  to  his  methods  or  his  excellencies,  I  am  confident 
that  even  at  this  time  his  ability  as  an  instructor  has 
been  rarely  equalled.  The  date  of  his  attendance 
at  Dr.  A.  Harlow's  writing  school  was  between  the 
close  of  his  school  in  February,  1852,  and  the  opening 
of  the  term  at  Hiram,  March  22,  1852.  The  fall  term 
of  the  Eclectic  for  1852  opened  August  23,  during 
which  term  Mr.  Garfield  and  I  were  room-mates. 
Most  of  the  term  he,  and  two  of  my  cousins,  my 
brother  and  myself,  formed  a  boarding  club. 

From  this  time  until  June,  1854,  Mr.  Garfield  was 
a  teacher  in  the  Eclectic.  I  was  absent  from  the 
close  of  the  fall  term  of  1852  until  the  beginning  of  the 
fall  term  of  1853,  and  my  attendance  closed  finally 
with  that  term.  The  dates  here  given  may  be  positively 
relied  upon,  as  I  know  they  are   absolutely  correct. 

William  R.  Balch,  in  his  biography,  puts  the  date 
of  Mr.  Garfield's  attendance  at  Harlow's  Writing  Acad- 
emy in  the  fall  of  1850,  or  more  than  a  year  and  a  half 
.too  early.  He  says  that  Garfield  was  Harlow's  janitor, 
which  is  not  true. 

He  also  states  that  Mr.  Garfield  took  his  "first  les- 
sons in  elocution"  of  Harlow,  and  "received  his  first 
real  encouragement  to  fit  himself  for  public  life."  All 
this  is  sheer  nonsense.      Dr.    Harlow  was  a  good  pen- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  125 

man,  but  further  than  that  he  was  in  no  wise  remarka- 
ble, and  when  James  A.  Garfield  first  attended  Harlow's 
school,  the  student  was  vastly  the  superior  of  his  teacher 
in  all  else  save  penmanship. 

Mr.  Balch  also,  in  the  same  connection,  speaks  of 
Mr.  Garfield  teaching  Geometry  at  Warrensville  during 
the  winter  of  1 850-1.  This  is  one  year  too  soon,  as 
can  be  verified  from  his  letters  to  me,  and  also  from  his 
address  in  memory  of  Miss  Booth.  In  fact,  Balch  sub- 
sequently contradicts  his  own  statement. 

The  same  writer  takes  great  pains  to  make  it  appear 
that  Garfield's  reasons  for  not  graduating  at  Bethany 
were  very  remarkable,  while  the  fact  is  that  nearly  all 
the  Hiram  students  had  a  prejudice  against  Bethany, 
and  quite  a  number  of  them  went  elsewhere.  In  chap- 
ter six  the  same  biographer  states  that  Garfield  reached 
Williams  College  in  June,  1854,  while  I  have  shown 
that  he  was  at  Schraalenburgh  until  July  10,  and  did 
not  reach  Williamstown  until  July  11.  He  also  states 
that  Garfield  attended  the  recitations  of  the  Sophomore 
class,  in  order  to  test  his  own  ability  to  pass  examina- 
tion for  the  Junior  year.  His  first  letter  to  me  from 
Williamstown  shows  that  this  is  not  true.  The  state- 
ment that  the  library  of  Williams  College  was  the  first 
large  collection  of  books  which  Garfield  had  ever  seen 
can  hardly  be  true,  when  it  is  remembered  that  he  had 
seen  the  State  Library  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  the  library  of 
Oberlin  College,  which  he  visited  in  August,  1853,  con- 
taining many  thousand  volumes,  besides  the  city  library 
at  Cleveland,  etc.  It  may  be  very  difficult  for  an 
Eastern  author  to  believe  it,  yet  I  fearlessly  affirm  that 
as  far  back  as  1854  Northern  Ohio  was  not  a  primeval 
wilderness ;   nor  were  its  inhabitants  one  whit  behind 


126  REMINISCENCES    OF 

those  of  New  York  or  New  England  in  general  intelli- 
gence. 

E.  E.  Brown,  in  his  biography,  falls  into  many  of  the 
same  errors  as  Balch,  though  he  is  usually  more  accu- 
rate. He  has  the  same  error  as  to  Garfield's  class  in 
geometry  at  Warrensville,  and  gives  the  date  of  his  first 
attendance  at  the  Chester  Academy  ten  years  too  late. 
The  Munchausen  story  of  his  appearing  before  the 
board  of  trustees  at  Hiram  in  the  attitude  of  an  awk- 
ward boy  begging  for  an  opportunity  to  ring  the  bell, 
etc.,  will  not  be  believed  by  the  old  Hiram  students 
who  knew  him.  As  Mr.  Garfield  at  the  age  of  twenty 
was  nearly  six  feet  high,  and  weighed  at  least  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  pounds,  it  is  hardly  probable  that  his 
first  year  at  Williams  College,  at  the  close  of  which  he 
was  almost  twenty-four,  had  produced  so  great  a  phys- 
ical change  as  to  astonish  his  little  mother,  or  that  she 
exclaimed  with  open-eyed  wonder  on  meeting  him, 
"  What  a  tall  manly  fellow  you  have  grown  to  be ! " 

Major  J.  M.  Bundy,  in  his  biography,  apparently 
copies  a  number  of  the  mistakes  of  his  fellow-historians. 
He  says  that  Garfield  entered  the  Eclectic  when  nine- 
teen years  old ;  he  was  twenty  years  old  five  days  after 
the  term  closed.  He  states  that  Garfield  taught  district 
school  two  winters  after  he  entered  Hiram ;  he  taught 
one  winter. 

James  R.  Gilmore,  who  takes  more  pains  to  be  ac- 
curate than  some  of  those  who  have  attempted  to  write 
biographies,  also  puts  Mr.  Garfield's  first  term  at  Hiram 
a  year  too  soon.  He  states  further  that  Garfield  became 
a  member  of  the  Church  of  Disciples  at  Hiram.  He 
united  with  the  church  a  year  or  more  before  he  went 
to  Hiram.     The  same  author  states  that  Father  Bentley 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  I  27 

was  pastor  of  the  church  at  Hiram,  while  the  fact  is 
that  Bentley  lived  for  many  years  at  Chagrin  Falls,  near 
Garfield's  home,  and  was  never  pastor  at  Hiram. 

Whitelaw  Reid,  in  his  "  Ohio  in  the  War,"  mars  his 
fine  descriptions  with  many  ridiculous  stories  concern- 
ing Mr.  Garfield's  boorish  manners,  uncouth  ways, 
shabby  dress  and  outlandish  provincialisms  at  the  time 
he  entered  Williams  College.  I  have  no  patience  with 
such  nonsense.  At  this  time  Mr.  Garfield  was  nearly 
twenty-three  years  old.  For  five  years  he  had  been  a 
faithful  student,  and  had  enjoyed  the  benefits  of  thor- 
ough instruction  from  able  and  experienced  teachers. 
Prof.  Munnell  was  a  fine  scholar  and  a  polished  Chris- 
tian gentleman  ;  Norman  Dunshee  was  the  peer  in  schol- 
arship of  the  ablest  professors  in  the  best  colleges  of  New 
England.  With  a  splendid  physical  organization  and  a 
mind  of  the  very  highest  order,  Garfield  came  now  roy- 
ally equipped  for  the  work  before  him,  ready  to  demon- 
strate that  he  was  the  peer  of  any  man  who  might  con- 
tend with  him  for  the  highest  honors.  His  brain  was 
like  some  perfect  machine,  turned  out  from  the  work- 
shop of  the  Almighty  as  a  master-piece — the  wonder  of 
angels  and  of  men.  For  perhaps  two  years  he  had 
preached  frequently,  before  cultured  and  critical  audi- 
ences, and  everywhere  had  been  received  with  favor. 
His  powers  had  also  been  disciplined  by  teaching,  not 
only  the  grammar  of  the  English,  but  of  the  Latin  and 
Greek  languages  ;  and  the  colossal  impudence  shown 
by  those  who  represent  him  at  twenty-three  as  an  ignor- 
ant boor,  his  language  disfigured  by  border  barbarisms, 
and  his  attire  the  rough  habiliments  of  the  rude  fron- 
tier, is  only  equalled  by  the  patronizing  and  snobbish 
condescension  which  hastens  to  claim  that  a  few  months 


128  REMINISCENCES    OF 

among  the  superior  order  of  beings  who  gathered  in  the 
little  village  at  the  foot  of  Green  Mountains  was  suffi- 
cient to  civilize  him.  Far  be  it  from  me  to  underesti- 
mate New  England,  from  whose  rocky  hill-sides  and 
sterile  valleys  have  gone  forth  some  of  the  grandest 
men  in  history;  but  I  fearlessly  assert,  that  James  A. 
Garfield  was  in  no  sense  inferior  to  the  proudest  of  her 
sons  when,  in  July,  1854,  he  appeared  at  Williams  Col- 
lege, conscious  of  his  own  powers  and  determined  that 
he  would  "  stand,  at  least,  among  the  first  or  die." 

On  the  morning  of  July  10,  1854,  Mr.  Garfield  left 
Schraalenburgh  on  his  way  to  Williams  College,  and  on 
the  following  Sunday  he  wrote  me  the  following  letter : 

Williams  College,  July  16,  1854. 

My  Dear  Corydon : — I  am  seated  this  gloriously  beautiful  Lord's  day 
afternoon  to  give  you  the  history  of  my  pilgrimage  since  I  took  your 
parting  hand  last  Monday  morning,  on  the  hills  of  New  Jersey. 

The  Dominie's  daughter  and  I  reached  the  city  without  accident, 
and  I  left  her  at  Amos  street  and  proceeded  immediately  to  Savery's. 
I  waited  till  an  hour  after  the  time,  but  for  some  reason  Page  did  not 
come,  and  so  I  did  not  see  him. 

I  went  to  Fowler's  and  had  my  head  examined  by  L.  N.  Fowler, 
and  got  a  chart.  He  gave  me  one  for  a  dollar;  a  quarter  less  than  he 
did  for  others,  he  said.  He  said  I  had  never  brought  out  my  powers 
of  mind  and  he  feared  I  never  would.  He  thought  I  was  inclined 
somewhat  to  be  lazy,  and  not  make  that  mental  effort  that  I  might.  I 
asked  him  how  high  a  place  in  the  world  I  should  aim  for.  He  said, 
"Just  as  high  as  you  please,  for  your  self-confidnce  is  too  small.'' 
But  I  do  not  know  how  far  he  was  right. 

At  six  o'clock  I  was  on  board  the  "Rip  Van  Winkle,"  bound  for 
Troy.  Again  I  viewed  the  golden  glories  of  the  sunset  Hudson — now 
sailing  along  its  broad  bosom  expanded  into  a  hill-girt  lake,  and  then 
gliding  along  its  narrow  channel  where  the  dark  cliffs  sink  their  rough 
shadows  in  its  crystal  depths.  But  I  gazed  alone,  and  thus  half  the 
pleasure  was  lost. 

When  I  awoke  next  morning  we  were  safely  tnoored  in  Troy.  I 
went  immediately  to  the  depot,  found  my  trunks  in  safety,  took  break- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  I2Q 

fast  at  the  "  Fulton  House,"  and  at  7j£  o'clock  was  on  the  cars  of  the 
Troy  and  Boston  Railroad.  I  bought  a  ticket  to  Williamstown  for 
$1.25.  The  railroad  company  own  also  the  stage  line,  and  you  will  do 
better  to  buy  a  through  ticket  at  Troy.  I  left  the  train  at  the  Hoosick 
Junction  and  from  there  came  in  a  horse-car  to  Hoosick  Falls,  to  which 
place  my  trunks  had  been  checked.  A  stage  was  waiting  our  arrival. 
We  stepped  in  and  soon  were  whirling  away  to  Williamstown,  where 
we  arrived  at  one  o'clock  p.  M.  Took  dinner  at  the  hotel,  and  then 
went  immediately  to  the  residence  of  President  Hopkins ;  gave  him  my 
letter,  and  within  two  hours  more  had  passed  examination  in  mathe- 
matics, Greek  and  Latin,  and  been  allowed  to  enter  the  coming  Junior 
year.  I  am,  however,  to  bring  up  Mensuration  and  Conic  Sections 
privately.  I  very  much  regret  that  I  came  here  so  soon.  I  could  have 
entered  next  September  at  the  beginning  of  the  next  term  nearly  as 
well,  and  thus  saved  a  considerable  expense.  But  I  must  stay  now. 
This  is  a  quiet  little  village  nestling  in  the  lap  of  the  Green  Mountains, 
and  girt  about  on  all  sides  by  towering  peaks  of  mantled  green  that 
prop  the  skies  with  their  bushy  heads.  It  is  certainly  a  beautiful  place, 
and  would  be  a  pleasant  one  to  me  did  I  not  cling  so  fondly  to  the 
friends  and  scenes  of  other  days.  I  have  been  very  lonely,  but  when  I 
am  fully  at  the  work  of  study  I  shall  feel  differently.  I  have  attended 
some  of  the  recitations  and  think  they  are  very  thorough. 

I  listened  to  a  fine  sermon  from  Pres.  Hopkins,  very  unlike  the 
long-drawn  groans  of  your  Dutch  Reformed  (!)  Dominie.  However,  he 
was  not  so  eloquent  as  sound  and  logical.     .     .     . 

Dear  Corydon,  do  write  to  me  very  often  and  I  will  as  often  re- 
spond.    In  the  truest  affection,  I  am,  as  ever, 

Your  brother,  James. 

It  will  be  seen  from  this  letter  that  Mr.  Garfield 
passed  his  examination  by  President  Hopkins,  July  11, 
1854,  the  day  of  his  arrival  at  Williamstown,  and  there- 
fore before  he  could  have  attended  any  recitations  or 
become  at  all  familiar  with  the  modes  of  teaching  or 
the  proficiency  of  the  class  he  was  about  to  enter.  He 
told  me  subsequently  that  he  was  assured  by  President 
Hopkins  that  he  could  enter  the  Senior  class  and  grad- 
uate in  one  year,  but  that  in  his  judgment  it  would  be 
best  for  him  to  stay  two  years,  thus  availing  himself  of 


IjO  REMINISCENCES    OF 

the  opportunity  for  more  reading  and  more  thorough 
training.  In  deference  to  this  advice,  as  well  as  in  ac- 
cordance with  his  own  determination  to  lay  deep  and 
broad  foundations  for  the  highest  culture,  he  entered 
the  Junior  class,  or  class  of  1856. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THREE    INTERESTING    LETTERS     FROM     MR.     GARFIELD. — A 
FAVORITE    POEM. 

During  the  last  year  or  year  and  a  half  which  Mr. 
Garfield  spent  at  Hiram  before  leaving  for  Williams  Col- 
lege, he  had  succeeded  in  earning  some  three  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars  more  than  his  expenses,  and  thus  was 
provided  for  most  of  the  cost  of  his  first  or  Junior  year. 
He  added  somewhat  to  this  amount  after  reaching  Wil- 
liamstown  by  teaching  a  class  in  penmanship  during 
the  fall  vacation,  and  I  think  received  a  little  compen- 
sation for  preaching  at  Poestenkill,  etc. 

The  letter  of  July  16,  which  was  given  in  my  last 
chapter,  was  answered  by  me  at  once,  and  two  weeks 
later  I  received  the  following,  which  I  think  will  be 
found  of  great  interest : 

Williams  College,  July  30,  1854. 

My  Dear  Corydon : — Your  kind  favor  of  the  23d,  post-marked  the 
25th,  was  received  in  due  time,  and  I  am  seated  alone  in  my  little 
chamber  to  respond.  'T  is  a  quiet  and  lonely  afternoon — a  season 
which  has  from  boyhood  brought  feelings  of  peculiar  loneliness  over 
my  spirit,  and  I  feel  them  now.  They  are  closely  intertwined  with  my 
early  life  and  all  its  scenes.  For  several  years  the  return  of  every  Sun- 
day afternoon  in  summer  has  brought  these  same  emotions. 

I  was  glad  to  hear  from  you  and  to  know  that  you  were  well. 
.  .  .  According  to  request  and  my  own  pleasure,  I  wrote  a  letter  to 
Mary  a  few  days  since,  and  hope  to  receive  a  like  favor  from  her  gifted 
pen.  Truly  shall  I  rejoice  with  you  when  your  weary  weeks  at  Schraal- 
enburgh  are  done  and  you  are  free  again. 


I32  REMINISCENCES    OF 

You  ask  me  how  I  am  situated,  who  I  board  with,  etc.  I  am 
boarding  at  a  widow  woman's,  where  I  have  the  best  of  board  and 
everything  done  up  in  the  finest  style,  but  the  boarders  happen  to  be 
about  the  roughest  in  college.  I  tell  you  what,  this  one-legged  system 
of  education  is  attended  with  many  evils.  The  absence  of  females  from 
table  and  society  takes  away  a  very  wholesome  restraint  and  leaves 
roughness  in  its  stead. 

Everything  is  high  here,  in  comparison  with  Ohio.  I  pay  $2.25  for 
board  alone,  and  other  things  in  proportion.  But  you  know  it  costs 
something  to  get  initiated.  Next  season  I  shall  get  into  a  club,  where 
I  can  board  for  $1.50. 

Though  I  am  reciting  in  two  classes,  yet  I  have  not  taken  my  place 
as  a  regular  student,  and  shall  not  till  September  15.  I  have  as  yet 
formed  but  very  few  acquaintances,  but  no  intimate  ones.  I  am  recon- 
noitering  the  ground.  There  is  a  high  standard  of  scholarship  here, 
and  very  many  excellent  scholars ;  those  that  have  had  far  better  ad- 
vantages and  more  thorough  training  than  I  have.  I  have  been  en- 
deavoring to  calculate  their  dimensions  and  power,  and,  between  you 
and  me,  I  have  determined  that  out  of  the  forty-two  members  of  my 
class  thirty-seven  shall  stand  behind  me  within  two  months.  There  are 
four  or  five  that  know  no  such  word  as  fail,  and  they  are  determined 
to  take  an  honor.  Of  those  four  or  five  I  mentioned,  a  young  fellow 
by  the  name  of  Lamberton  stands  at  the  head.  He  is  a  noble  lellow. 
I  have  not  yet  heard  him  speak.  I  think  perhaps  he  is  a  better  scholar 
than  speaker.  He  looks  very  much  like  my  friend  Gilbert,  of  Chester, 
that  I  have  told  you  about.     I  shall  keep  my  eyes  on  him. 

Oh!  Corydon  :  those  fires  that  we  so  oft  have  felt,  come  bursting 
up  from  the  very  nadir  of  my  soul  and  sweep  along  my  veins  till  my 
throbbing  brain  seems  bursting  through  my  skull !  I  know  not  whether 
they  are  lit  from  heaven  or  hell,  but  I  believe  it  is  not  an  unhoiy  im- 
pulse if  only  guided.  They  can  never  be  quenched  until  the  building 
falls.  I  lie  here  alone  on  my  bed  at  midnight,  tossing  restlessly,  while 
my  nerves  and  sinews  crawl  and  creep,  and  I  almost  feel  that  there  are 
but  two  tracks  before  me — to  stand  at  least  among  the  first,  or  die.  I 
believe  I  can  do  it,  if  granted  a  fair  trial. 

I  have  visited  one  or  two  literary  societies,  and  I  have  as  yet  heard 
no  one  that  I  should  fear  to  stand  before.  They  have  splendid  halls, 
and  each  (of  the  two)  has  a  library  of  four  thousand  volumes.  I  have 
not  joined  either  yet,  but  shall  soon.  I  think  I  can  stand  pretty  well 
in  that  respect.  Remember  that  many  are  here  from  old  Amherst, 
Harvard,  Yale  and  all  the  ponderous  institutions  of  New  England.    The 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  1 33 

last  two  years  of  the  course  here  are  said  to  be  superior  to  any  in 
America.  When  the  Commencement  exercises  come  off  I  will  give  you 
a  report. 

It  has  been  excessively  warm  here  till  a  few  days  ago,  but  it  is 
cooler  now.  The  atmosphere  here  is  different  from  that  in  Ohio.  I  do 
not  understand  it.  I  have  taken  cold  every  night  since  I  came,  and 
have  had  a  severe  headache  for  the  last  seven  days  almost  incessantly, 
but  I  hope  to  get  acclimated  after  a  while. 

Do  n't  think  that  my  object  of  labor  is  so  low  and  groveling  as  the 
honor.  No !  I  have  higher  motives,  but  when  I  am  in  a  class  I  can  not 
bear  to  be  behind. 

This  is  the  120th  letter  page  that  I  have  filled  since  I  left  Ohio,  and 
I  have  received  sixty  pages  in  return.  I  have  a  letter  from  O.  P.  Miller 
saying  that  Sarah  A.  Soule's  sister,  Mrs.  Robinson,  is  no  more.  I  am 
beginning  to  feel  uneasy  about  mother,  as  I  have  written  twice  to  her 
since  I  left  but  have  not  heard  a  word. 

My  dear  brother,  write  to  me  very  often,  and  remember  the  faith- 
ful love  of  James. 

I  did  not  receive  the  above  letter  until  August  5,  as 
sleepy  Schraalenburgh,  as  I  have  said,  had  only  two 
mails  a  week,  but  it  gave  me  great  anxiety.  I  knew 
that  my  friend  was  in  a  state  of  mental  excitement  so 
intense  that  he  must  be  in  great  danger.  I  could  ap- 
preciate as  no  one  else  his  determined  purpose  to 
demonstrate  his  own  God-like  power,  by  distancing  all 
his  competitors.  He  had  never  met  an  equal ;  was  he 
now  to  take  a  subordinate  place  ?  I  believed  he  would 
die  rather  than  stand  second,  even,  in  the  class  in 
which  he  was  about  to  enter.  And  yet,  as  he  said, 
many  of  them  had  enjoyed  far  better  opportunities 
than  he. 

The  protracted  and  intense  headache  of  which  he 
spoke — the  throbbing  temples — the  sleepless  nights — 
all  foretold  brain  fever,  and  I  was  not  surprised  by  the 
following  eloquent  and  touching  letter : 


134  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Williams  College,  Aug.  10,  1854. 

My  dear  Corydon : — I  have  been  down  near  to  the  gates  of  the 
"Silent  City"  since  last  I  wrote  to  you.  Perhaps  it  were  better  had  I 
entered  ;  God  knoweth.  But  the  crisis  is  past  and  I  am  slowly  return- 
ing now.  Your  kind  letter  was  received  to-day,  and  I  will  respond  im- 
mediately. 

I  think  1  told  you,  in  my  other,  that  I  had  taken  cold  nearly  every 
night  since  I  came,  and  had  had  a  severe  headache  for  about  ten  days. 
I  however  kept  on  studying  till  Friday,  the  4th,  when  the  hot  water 
streamed  from  my  eyes  so  that  I  could  not  see,  and  I  was  obliged  to 
stop  and  send  for  a  physician.  He  feared  I  would  have  inflammation 
of  the  brain,  or  brain  fever ;  gave  me  medicine  and  forbade  me  reading 
at  all.  Friday,  Saturday  and  Sunday  I  endured  the  most  agonizing 
pain,  but  on  Sunday  afternoon  it  began  to  subside,  but  I  found  it  had 
wrought  ruin  with  my  strength,  for  when  I  tried  to  walk  I  was  as  weak 
as  a  child.  I  have  walked  but  little  since,  and  am  still  weak,  though 
gaining  strength.  I  shall  doubtless  be  quite  recovered  before  long, 
though  I  can  not  study  any  more  this  session.  I  am  now  so  as  to  read 
most  of  the  time,  and  I  can  thus  kill  my  ennui. 

I  was  very  glad  to  get  your  letter,  for  of  the  nineteen  I  have  re- 
ceived since  I  came  here,  yours  and  one  from  Almeda  are  the  only  ones 
I  have  had  for  the  last  nine  days. 

I  shall  have  to  do  something  to  recruit  in  vacation.  I  have  re- 
ceived a  cordial  invitation  from  those  stranger  Garfields  in  Berkshire, 
Mass.,  to  visit  them,  and  I  think  I  shall  do  so,  after  a  couple  of  weeks. 
In  about  five  weeks  C.  D.  Wilber  will  be  here  to  enter  college.  We 
will  have  a  good  time  when  you  come  here,  I  hope. 

Oh,  how  miuh  I  have  felt  the  absence  of  dear  friends  during  the 
long,  dreary  hours  of  pain.  I  must  subjoin  some  lines  that  have  been 
ringing  through  the  chambers  of  my  soul,  and  though  I  do  not  know 
the  author,  yet  they  possess  the  elements  of  immortality  in  them.  I 
know  you  will  love  them  and  feel  them  : 

"  Commend  me  to  the  friend  that  comes 

When  I  am  sad  and  lone, 
And  makes  the  anguish  of  my  heart 

The  sufferings  of  his  own  : 
Who  coldly  shuns  the  glittering  fhrong 

At  pleasure's  gay  levee, 
And  comes  to  gild  a  sombre  hour 

And  give  his  heart  to  me. 

"He  hears  me  count  my  sorrows  o'er, 
And  when  the  task  is  done 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD,  1 35 

He  freely  gives  me  all  I  ask — 

A  sigh  for  every  one. 
He  ran  not  wear  a  smiling  face 

While  mine  is  touched  with  gloom, 
But  like  the  violet  seeks  to  cheer 

The    midnight  with  perfume. 

•*  Commend  me  to  that  generous  heart 

Which,  like  the  pine  on  high, 
Uplifts  the  same  unvarying  brow 

To  every  change  of  sky  : 
Whose  frindship  does  not  fade  away 

When  wintry  tempests  blow. 
But,  like  the  winter's  ivy  crown, 

Looks  greener  through  the  snow. 

"  He  flies  not  with  the  flitting  stork 

That  seeks  a  southern  sky, 
But  lingers  where  the  wounded  bird 

Hath  laid  him  down  to  die. 
Oh  !  such  a  friend  I  he  is  in  truth, 

Whate'er  his  lot  may  be, 
A  rainbow  on  the  storm  01  life, 

An  anchor  on  its  sea." 

Thank  God !  I  enjoy  such  friends  as  tnat,  though  they  are  not  with 
me.  But  I  must  stop  ;  let  me  hear  from  you  soon.  Please  do  not  feel 
troubled  about  me,  for  I  think  I  shall  be  entirely  well  soon.  Be  care- 
ful about  your  throat  and  lungs.  Give  my  love  to  your  father  and 
mother  and  Ceylon,  and  I  need  not  say  I  am,  as  ever,  your  brother, 

James. 

The  time  at  Schraalenburgh  dragged  somewhat 
heavily,  as  the  society  was  very  different  from  that  to 
which  I  had  been  accustomed.  There  was  a  great  deal 
of  hard  drinking,  and  the  standard  of  education  was 
very  low.  The  young  people  were  possessed  of  good 
natural  abilities,  but  it  was  not  customary  to  send  chil- 
dren to  school  after  they  were  fourteen  or  fifteen  years 
old  ;  the  teachers  were,  without  exception,  from  other 
States,  mostly  from  New  York.  Many  of  the  customs 
were  very  different  from  those  of  other  parts  of  the 
country  where  I  had  lived,  and  I  was  becoming  some- 
what impatient  for  the  termination  of  my  engagement. 


I36  REMINISCENCES    OF 

While  I  was  very  busily  employed  during  school  hours, 
I  had  plenty  of  leisure  before  and  after  school  and  on 
Saturdays  and  Sundays,  not  only  for  reading  Black- 
stone,  but  for  letter-writing.  My  letters  from  Mr.  Gar- 
field were  answered  promptly,  and  he  seldom  delayed 
an  equally  prompt  response.  The  following  was  my 
next  letter : 

Williams  College,  Aug.  22,  1854. 

My  Dear  Corydon: — Your  welcome  letter  of  the  19th  is  here,  and  I 
respond.  I  am  glad  to  tell  you  that  I  am  well  again,  and  am  enjoying 
myself  well.  I  have  removed  to  a  room  in  the  college  building,  and 
now  in  vacation,  "  am  monarch  of  all  I  survey."  I  have  20,000  vol- 
umes within  a  few  feet  of  me,  and  am  luxuriating  upon  the  beauties  of 
the  mighty  dead,  that  have  left  their  works  behind.  I  have  read  seve- 
ral volumes  of  history,  and  Byron's  immortal  "  Childe  Harold,"  and 
lastly,  five  plays  of  Shakespeare.  These  are  feasts,  you  know,  espe. 
daily  in  hours  of  leisure. 

But  stop  !  Look  there!  Oh!  that  you  now  could  sit  beside  me, 
and  gaze  with  me  upon  that  mountain  that  I  am  now  looking  at,  where 
W.  C.  Bryant  wrote  his  celebrated  "Thanatopsis,"  when  he  was  a  stu- 
dent here.  The  sinking  sun  now  rests  gloriously  upon  the  summit  of 
the  tallest  peak,  and  looks  like  a  head  of  gold  upon  a  colossal  statue  of 
marble.  And  now  the  Day-God  has  gone  down  behind  the  mountain, 
and  left  only  the  tuft  of  his  golden  mantle  on  the  pine  tree  tops.  The 
sun,  when  departing,  looks  larger  and  more  glorious — so  do  our  friends 
when  leaving  us,  seem  doubly  near  and  dear.  Could  we  stand  on  the 
summit,  and  look  down,  Williamstown  would  look  like  a  diamond  in 
an  emerald  casket.      But  I  am  straying. 

The  last  ten  days  have  been  a  sucession  of  addresses,  orations  and 
exibitions,  and  last  Wednesday  was  the  commencement,  an  account  of 
which  you  will  doubtless  see  in  the  Tribune.  Among  all  their  meet- 
ings, I  attended  one  that  was  especially  interesting  to  me — the  meeting 
of  the  alumni.  I  never  saw  so  large  an  assembly  of  hale  old  men. 
They  looked  noble  and  patriarchal  ;  there  were  many  of  them  that 
graduated  thirty,  forty  and  fifty  years  ago,  and  now  these  hoary-headed 
classmates  were  met,  and  walking  arm  in  arm  over  the  old  college 
grounds  and  counting  the  scars  received  in  the  great  battle  of  life. 
Among  them  were  Gov.  Washburn,  present  Governor  of  Massachusetts, 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  137 

ex-Gov.  Briggs,  and  a  score  of  Judges,  editors  and  preachers  of  distin- 
guished notoriety. 

On  Tuesday  evening  I  listened  to  an  address  from  Ralph  Waldo 
Emerson,  of  Boston,  and  I  must  say,  he  is  the  most  startlingly  original 
thinker  I  ever  heard.  Each  bolt  which  he  hurls  against  error,  like 
Goethe's  cannon  ball,  goes  "  fearful  and  straight,  shattering  that  it  may 
reach,  and  shattering  what  it  reaches."  I  could  not  sleep  that  night, 
after  hearing  his  thunder-storm  of  eloquent  thoughts.  It  made  me  feel 
so  small  and  insignificant  to  hear  him. 

Last  Friday  I  received  a  most  excellent  letter  from  your  Mary.  It 
was  every  way  worthy  of  her  superior  talents  and  generous  heart.  At 
the  same  time  I  received  a  first  rate  one  from  Almeda. 

You  surprise  me  by  saying  that  Prof.  Hull  is  about  to  take  unto 
himself  a  "better  half."  I  can  not  imagine  who  that  "  E.  J."  can  be. 
I  heard,  in  a  letter  from  Everest,  that  Hull  was  in  that  vicinity,  but  did 
not  suspect  the  object.  Paxcineribus  ejus.  ...  I  am  almost  afraid 
to  have  any  of  my  trash  published,  but  I  guess  I  will  write  a  little.  I 
hope  you  will  see  Durham  before  long.  "Thereby  hangs  a  tale,"  per- 
haps. You  must  excuse  the  execution  of  this  letter,  for  I  have  much 
to  do  to-night  to  get  ready  for  the  stage  at  five  in  the  morning.  I  then 
start  for  Monterey,  to  visit  those  Garfields  of  whom  I  have  told  you. 
Accept  this  as  an  apology,  and  write  to  me  soon.  In  the  warmest  affec- 
tion, I  am,  as  ever,  James. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

A    LETTER    FROM    MR.    GARFIELD    TO    MISS    WATSON. SOCI- 
ETY   AT    SCHRAALENBURGH. 

In  a  former  chapter  mention  has  been  made  of  the 
visit  of  Mr.  Garfield  and  myself  over  the  4th  of  July,  1854, 
at  Butler,  N.  Y.,  at  the  home  of  Joseph  Watson,  the 
father  of  Miss  Mary  P.  Watson,  who  subsequently  be- 
came my  wife.  After  Mr.  Garfield  arrived  at  Wil- 
liamstown,  he  wrote  at  least  two  letters  to  Miss  Watson, 
which  I  have  no  doubt  will  be  of  great  interest  to  all  his 
friends,  as  revealing  the  depths  of  tenderness  in  his 
great  heart,  and  explaining,  in  some  degree,  his  won- 
derful power  in  attracting  to  himself  friends,  and  hold- 
ing them  to  him  as  by  links  of  steel. 

The  two  days  we  had  spent  in  the  cool  old  stone 
house,  reading  Ik  Marvel's  Dream  Life,  and  favorite 
poems  from  our  favorite  authors,  as  well  as  enjoying  the 
society  of  our  intelligent  hostess,  and  that -of  each 
other,  had  passed  very  pleasantly ;  and  we  left  some- 
what regretfully,  I  for  my  monotonous  task  at  Schraal- 
enburgh,  and  he  to  enter  new  fields  and  form  new 
associations  among  strangers. 

Mr.  Garfield  had  arrived  at  Williamstown  July  II, 
1854,  and  had  passed  his  examination  the  same  day. 
On  the  1 6th  he  wrote  me  the  letter  given  to  the  reader 
in  a  former  chapter,  and  a  week  later  he  wrote  the 
following : 
138 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  I  39 

Williams  College,  July  23,   1S54. 

Mary,  My  Dear  Sister : — Is  it  a  part  of  Marvel's  "Dream  Life," 
or  an  actual  reality,  that  I  have  been  in  Butler,  and  am  now  address- 
ing a  letter  to  "  Little  Mary"?  Well,  if  it  be  a  dream,  I  should  rejoice 
to  receive  a  little  white-winged  messenger  from  the  airy  regions  of  cloud- 
land,  that  would  tell  fairy  tales  of  its  sun-lit  home — hence,  dream  or 
not,  I  '11  write. 

There  are  days  that  do  the  work  of  years.  Such  were  the  days  of 
my  delightful  visit  to  Butler.  That  visit  seems  to  me  more  like  the 
continuance  of  a  friendship  of  early  years  than  the  acquaintance  of  a 
day.  Well,  suppose  I  assume  that  we  are  life-long  friends,  and  that  you 
would  like  to  hear  of  my  pilgrimage  and  whereabouts. 

You  have  doubtless  been  informed  of  our  journeying  to  the  city. 
Oh,  how  we  wished  you  could  be  there  on  the  deck  of  the  "  Hendrick 
Hudson,"  and  view  the  golden  glories  of  a  sunset  scene  on  the  noble 
river,  which  looks  like  a  silver  scarf  wound  around  the  "landscape's 
verdant  waist."  We  stood  and  gazed  until  the  sinking  sun  had  clothed 
the  western  heavens  in  bright  red  garments  trimmed  with  glittering 
gold,  and,  as  the  twilight  faded,  in  the  east  the  moon  rose  up  above  the 
green  old  hills,  and  led  her  jeweled  hosts  along  the  paths  of  heaven, 
and  with  all  twinkling  eyes  looked  down  and  smiled  at  their  reflected 
faces  in  the  crystal  depths  below.  Oh,  there  is  a  majesty  in  a  river  that 
rushes  smiling  to  the  Ocean's  arms!  But  Corydon  has  told  you  of  this, 
and  our  visit  to  "Greenwood,"  which  was  more  to  me  than  all  the 
pomp  and  show  of  the  noisy  city.  Oh !  Mary,  there  's  the  place  to 
read  Gray's  immortal  Elegy,  and  feel  it. 

I  have  just  room  to  tell  you  what  a  charming  visit  I  had  with  Cory- 
don (I  want  you  to  practice  pronouncing  the  name)  in  his  Jersey 
prison.  I  pity  him  from  my  soul.  He  is  alone,  like  a  gushing  fountain 
in  a  wilderness  of  sand.  On  Sunday  we  heard  the  Old  Dominie,  as  with 
a  long-drawn  countenance,  and  a  longer  sermon,  he  fed  his  flock  of 
Dutchmen  on  the  wholesome  food  of  "  Original  Sin  "  and  "  Depravity." 
The  society  there  is  anything  but  desirable,  and  I  hope  the  hour  will 
quickly  arrive  when  Corydon  can  leave  them. 

On  Monday  I  returned  to  New  York,  and  that  evening  took  a  boat 
for  Troy,  where  I  found  myself  when  I  awoke  next  morning.  At  seven 
o'clock  I  was  again  on  the  way,  and  after  treading  on  the  granite  toes 
of  Vermont  and  brushing  the  verdant  fringe  of  her  mountain  mantle, 
we  entered  the  precincts  of  the  "Old  Bay  State,"  and  soon  were  in 
Williamstown.  I  went  to  the  office  and  found  a  letter  from  my  dear 
=ister,  Almeda  Booth.    Her  kindness  and  sympathy  brought  back  a  flood- 


140 


REMINISCENCES    OF 


tide  of  memories  that  stirred  again  the  deep  fountains  of  my  heart. 
Oh !  what  a  precious  boon  it  is,  that  loved  and  loving  friends  open  lor 
us  within  the  heart's  warm  center  a  welcome  home — a  refuge  from  the 
chilling  storms  of  this  cold  and  heartless  world  !  May  God  reward  my 
friends  for  their  kind  love  to  me.     I  never  can. 

That  afternoon  I  passed  the  ordeal  of  a  college  examination,  and 
was  permitted  to  enter  the  Junior  class.  Thus  I  have  taken  on  my 
shoulder  two  years  of  labor.  This  is  a  quiet  little  village  nestling  in  the 
lap  of  the  Green  Mountains,  and  on  all  sides,  like  huge  sentinels,  stand 
the  towering  peaks  that  prop  the  bending  heavens  with  their  wood 
crowned  heads  ;  and  now,  this  quiet  afternoon,  after  a  refreshing 
shower,  those  tall  mountains  wearing  a  girdle  of  shining  clouds  loom 
grandly  up  and  swell  the  soul  that  gazes  on  them.  I  intend,  ere  this 
summer  is  gone,  to  spend  a  few  days  on  their  summits  and  taste  the 
ocean  breeze. 

The  College  and  its  officers  bear  the  marks  of  stern  New  England 
strength,  and  the  surrounding  country  reminds  one  of  the  classical  an- 
tiquity of  castellated  Europe.  I  have  as  yet  formed  very  few  acquaint- 
ances, for  whenever  I  think  of  socialities  (and  how  often  that  is.!)  my 
heart  goes  back  to  the  dear  ones  I  have  left,  and  lingers  arouna  them 
till  the  sharp  notes  of  duty  call  me  back  again.  Few  know  how  fondly 
my  heart  clings  to  friends,  and  how  my  spirit  leans  upon  them.  Must 
the  bitter  lesson  be  learned  to  live  independently  of  friends,  within  the 
sanctuary  of  my  own  heart  ?  Must  that  privilege  be  taken  away,  of 
pouring  out  all  the  little  joys  and  sorrows  of  life  into  the  bosom  of 
sympathetic  tenderness  ?     But  such  is  life. 

But  my  sheet  is  full.  Were  I  to  let  this  strange,  strange  heart  rule 
the  pen,  I  should  blot  another  sheet.  But  I  am  sure  I  have  grown  tedi- 
ous. Mary,  you  do  not  know  how  gladly  I  shall  read  a  well-filled 
sheet  from  you,  if  you  deem  it  worth  your  time  to  write  me.  The  con- 
trast between  the  past  and  present  of  my  life  at  times  will  make  me 
lonely.  Ambition's  fire,  Time's  onward  rushing  and  its  attendant  duties 
fill  up  the  day,  but  when  the  twilight  weeps  its  gentle  dew  my  heart 
forgets  life's  sterner  cares  and  lives  'mong  scenes  and  days  long  dead, 
and  calls  around  me  many  familiar  friends  that  look  lovingly  upon  me 
for  a  moment,  and  then  hie  away  to  their  homes,  some  in  the  graveyard 
and  others  in  the  wide,  wide  world.      But  I  stopped  once  ! 

Give  my  love  to  your  dear  parents,  brother  and  sister,  and  may 
that  Eye  that  never  slumbers  nor  sleeps  guard  and  watch  over  you  till 
the  day  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  the  prayer  of  your  brother, 

James. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  I4I 

Mary,  you  must  pardon  the  rectangular ities  on  the  other  side,  for 
I  couldn't  help  it;  my  hand  would  write.  I  do  not  feel  a  necessity  of 
asking  pardon  for  my  freedom  in  writing  to  you.  Should  I  ?  I  hope 
not.  Oh,  I  wonder  if  you  are  sitting  on  the  little  bench  now,  watching 
that  Butler  sunset  ? 

Direct  your  letter  to  Williamstown,  Mass.  If  you  see  our  good 
sister  Wealtha  Ann  this  summer,  remember  me  kindly  to  her, 

James. 

Three  letters  to  me,  written  subsequent  to  the 
above,  have  already  been  given,  in  my  last  chapter, 
dated  respectively  July  30,  August  10  and  August  22. 
In  his  letter  of  August  22,  he  mentions  having  re- 
ceived a  letter  from  Miss  Watson,  in  answer  to  the 
above  letter,  and  characterizes  it  as  "excellent."  I 
have  no  doubt  as  to  the  correctness  of  his  literary 
taste,  or  as  to  his  sincerity.  That  of  August  22 
reached  me  on  the  28th,  on  my  return  from  a  three 
days'  visit  in  the  city  of  New  York.  As  the  time  for 
the  close  of  my  school  and  my  final  departure  from 
Schraalenburgh  approached,  my  daily  life  grew  more 
irksome  and  unsatisfactory.  While  many  of  my 
scholars  were  bright  and  intelligent,  there  were  more 
who  were  dull  and  careless  of  the  opportunity  afforded 
them  for  improvement.  The  people  were  different  in 
many  respects  from  any  whom  T  had  ever  known  be- 
fore. While  they  had  many  excellent  traits,  they  were 
much  more  ignorant  than  the  average  people  of  the 
West,  and  they  were  very  penurious.  Mr.  Quacken- 
bush,  with  whom  I  made  my  home,  was  said  to  be 
worth  $25,000  or  $30,000,  yet  he  charged  a  widow 
twenty-five  cents  for  a  ride  of  four  miles  to  the  river, 
whither  he  was  going.  This  was  but  a  sample  of  sim- 
ilar meanness,  of  which  many  of  the  people  were 
guilty:    such   as   the   average    American    could    never 


142  REMINISCENCES    OF 

perpetrate.  Our  daily  bill  of  fare  was  such  as  migi  _ 
be  expected  of  such  people.  A  cup  of  execrable 
coffee,  some  cold  rye  bread,  butter,  and  a  few  slices  of 
dried  shad,  usually  made  our  breakfast;  the  addition 
of  four  cold  boiled  potatoes,  one  morning,  was  so  nota- 
ble that  I  mentioned  the  fact  in  my  journal.  Drunken- 
ness was  very  common,  and  to  be  strictly  temperate 
\vas  to  be  unpopular.  Almost  everybody  used  liquor, 
and  good  old  Dominie  Blauvelt  did  not  dare  to  rebuke 
this  darling  sin  of  his  people.  Even  in  the  very  house 
dedicated  to  the  worship  of  the  Almighty,  the  drunk- 
ard came  maddened  with  drink  !  At  a  funeral,  I  saw  a 
wretched  wreck  march  up  the  aisle  of  the  church,  and 
shake  the  coffin ;  and  when  an  attempt  was  made  to 
eject  him,  he  gave  a  frightful  shriek,  as  if  possessed  of 
a  howling  devil !  In  those  days  I  was  a  little  preju- 
diced against  such  bacchanalian  customs. 

All  the  teachers  whom  I  met  in  New  Jersey  were 
from  other  States,  principally  from  New  York  and 
New  England.  Three  miles  from  Schraalenburgh  was 
Teaneck,  the  spot  where  the  army  of  Lord  Cornwallis 
lay  camped  one  winter  during  the  war  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. A  Mr.  Case  taught  the  school  there,  and  I  paid 
him  a  visit,  and  have  noted  him  as  an  intelligent  man. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

MR.     GARFIELD    VISITS    THE    SOUTH    PART     OF     BERKSHIRE 
COUNTY. ALSO,    WEST  RUPERT,    VERMONT. 

The  last  half  of  August  and  first  nine  days  of  Sep- 
tember were  hot  and  dry.  On  Sunday,  Sept.  10,  I 
have  written  in  my  journal : 

The  long  looked  for  rain  has  come  at  last.  Thank  God  !  The  sky 
is  dark  and  the  thick  drops  keep  falling,  and  the  parched  and  thirsty 
earth  drinks  it  up  greedily.  It  commenced  raining  last  night  at  half- 
past  nine  o'clock,  and  has  rained  very  steadily  every  since.  It  has  been 
many  weeks  since  we  have  had  rain  enough  to  thoroughly  wet  the 
earth.  Such  a  drouth  has  not  been  known  before  for  many  years.  All 
parts  of  the  country  have  suffered  alike.  Ohio,  Michigan,  Indiana, 
New  York  and  New  England,  and  many  other  States,  are  parched  and 
withered.  But  I  think  this  is  an  extensive  rain,  as  it  seems  to  fall  from 
all  parts  of  the  heavens.  The  wind  blows  fitful  gusts  and  the  rain  pat- 
ters agaiast  the  window  panes  with  the  dismal  sound  of  an  autumn  storm. 
Here  is  a  little  song  by  George  P.  Morris,  which  I  wish  to  pre- 
serve, and  so  I  copy  it  here.  To  me  it  is  very  beautiful.  It  is  set  to 
music : 

NEAR    THE    BANKS    OF    THAT    LONE    RIVER. 

Near  the  banks  of  that  lone  river, 

Where  the  water-lilies  grow, 
Breathed  the  fairest  flower  that  ever 

Bloomed  and  faded  years  ago. 

How  we  met  and  loved  and  parted 

None  on  earth  can  ever  know  ; 
Nor  how  pure  and  gentle-hearted 

Beamed  the  mourned  one  years  ago. 

Like  the  stream  with  lilies  laden 
Will  life's  future  current  flow, 


!44  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Till  in  heaven  I  meet  the  maiden 
Fondly  cherished  years  a^o. 

Hearts  that  love  like  mine  forget  not ; 

They  *re  the  same  in  weal  or  woe  : 
And  that  star  of  memory  sets  not 

In  the  grave  of  years  ago. 

It  is  cold  this  afternoon;  the  thermometer  is  down  to  56°, 
which  is  a  great  change  from  yesterday.  The  wind  is  whistling  mourn- 
fully through  the  withered  leaves,  and  the  world  looks  dreary  and 
desolate.  It  has  been  a  very  lonesome  day  to  me.  .  .  .  The 
storm  is  too  quiet  to  suit  my  spirit.  I  love  the  jarring  thunder  that 
makes  the  hills  tremble  as  at  the  tread  of  the  Almighty.  I  love  the 
glittering  lightnings  that  make  the  very  heavens  blaze,  and  light 
up  the  ethereal  concave  as  the  light  of  a  burning  world,  for  there 
is  grandeur  in  such  scenes ;  but  the  quiet  rain-storm  is  always  tedious 
to  me.  Yet  I  know  I  am  wickedly  impatient,  for  the  rain  is  what  a 
thirsty  nation  has  prayed  for  for  weeks,  and  even  now  it  is  quenching 
the  hungry  fires  that  are  feeding  in  the  forest. 

On  Sept.  15  I  wrote  : 

One  thing  is  perhaps  worthy  of  note :  we  had  some  FRESH  beef 
to-day  for  dinner!  It  is  the  second  time  we  have  had  such  a  dish  since 
I  have  been  here — more  than  five  months.  Nevertheless,  the  beef  ped. 
dler  has  passed  the  house  daily  for  the  greater  part  of  the  season.  And 
judging  by  the  way  they  took  hold  to-day,  the  reason  is  not  because 
they  do  not  like  beef;  no:  it  is  simply  the  result  of  a  little,  miserly, 
penurious  disposition.  And  yet  these  people  are  rich;  but  notwith- 
standing their  riches  they  hardly  have  enough  to  eat,  and  that  of  the 
very  cheapest  quality.     Only  four  weeks  more.     Hail  Columbia ! 

On  the  19th  I  received  the  following  letter  from  Mr. 
Garfield : 

Williams  College,  Sept.   14,  1854. 

My  Dear  Corydon  : — Your  favor  of  the  2nd  inst.  was  found  by  me  in 
the  office  yesterday,  on  my  arrival  from  a  trip  of  three  weeks.  In  my 
absence  sixteen  letters  found  their  way  to  this  place  to  cheer  me  with 
words  of  kindness  and  love. 

I  went  to  visit  the  Garfields  in  the  south  part  of  Berkshire  county, 
and  staid  there  two  weeks.  They  had  made  preparations  for  having  a 
good  time  when  I  came,  and  so  we  did.     One  day  I  spent  fishing  on   a 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  145 

beautiful  pond  for  pickerel,  and  then  Cousin  Harriet  Garfield  and  I 
took  the  horse  and  carriage  and  went  on  a  visiting  excursion  of  three 
days.  One  evening  we  went  to  Lee  and  heard  H.  W.  Beecher  deliver 
a  lecture  before  the  "  Young  Men's  Library  Association."  I  was  much 
pleased  with  him. 

I  found  some  dozen  families  of  Garfields,  and  all  of  them  claimed 
some  relationship  this  side  of  Adam.  On  my  way  I  stopped  in  the  eve- 
ning at  a  village  called  Great  Barrington,  and  at  the  hotel  picked  up  a 
copy  of  the  "  Berkshire  Courier'"  containing  a  piece  called  "  Morning 
in  Berkshire."  I  was  pleased  with  it,  and  the  next  morning  I  wrote  a 
response  inscribed  to  the  writer,  Miss  Hattie  A.  Pease.  I  inclose  a 
copy.  I  signed  it,  "A  Stranger."  The  latter  part  of  it  I  sent  to  How- 
ard Durham,  and  have  since  received  a  very  cordial  letter  from  him. 
When  I  gave  the  piece  to  the  editor  of  the  "  Courier,"  he  read  it,  and 
said  to  me,  "  My  columns  are  open  to  you  for  anything  you  may  please  to 
write."     Since  my  return  I  have  sent  him  a  piece  on  Temperance. 

After  staying  down  there  two  weeks  I  went  to  West  Rupert,  Ben- 
nington Co.,  Vermont,  to  attend  a  Disciple  meeting.  That  is  about 
fifty  miles  from  here,  and  where  Charlotte  Weed  and  Anna  Sherman 
live.  I  visited  them  both,  and  had  a  good  time.  Bro.  J.  D.  Benedict, 
of  Newburgh,  Ohio,  was  the  speaker.  On  Sunday  evening  I  spoke, 
and  on  Monday  the  meeting  closed.  Twelve  in  all  were  added — eleven 
by  immersion  and  one  from  the  Baptists.  I  stayed  there  one  week,  and 
yesterday  reached  Williamstown. 

I  hear  from  mother  that  she  saw  your  father  at  Bedford.  She  is 
now  on  her  way  to  Michigan  to  visit  Thomas.  Prof.  Hull  is  now  the 
President  of  Fairfield  Academy,  Indiana,  at  a  salary  of  eight  hundred 
dollars  per  annum,  and  Jasper  is  his  assistant.  Last  Sunday,  W.  D. 
Harrah  was  married  to  Hester  Hartzel.  W.  S.  Hayden  has  gone  to 
Newtonia,  Mississippi,  to'  teach  in  Brother  Risley's  Academy.  He  gets 
five  hundred  dollars  per  year  for  the  primary  department,  and  has  be- 
sides what  he  can  make  in  teaching  Latin,  Algebra  and  Music.  There 
are  twelve  teachers  and  two  hundred  aud  fifty  students  in  Hiram. 

I  have  been  expecting  Wilber  for  two  or  three  days,  but  I  hear  he 
is  sick.  Well!  this  makes  quite  a  news-letter.  Upon  the  items  them- 
selves I  make  no  comments. 

I  wish  you  might  get  a  situation  in  Cincinnati,  but  I  do  not  know 
but  you  would  do  better  to  go  farther  South  and  teach.  However,  we 
will  soon  see  each  other  and  talk  face  to  face.  This  great  stack  of  un- 
answered letters  will,  I  trust,  be  a  sufficient  excuse  for  the  haste  of  this. 
I  have  not  yet    answered    Mary's    letter,   though    I    shall    do  so  soon. 


^(5  REMINISCENCES    OF 

The  college  term  has  commenced  and  soon  its  labors  will  be   crowd- 
ine  upon  me.      Let  me  hear  from  you  soon.      As  ever,  your  brother, 
s  James. 

A  word  as  to  some  of  the  persons  named  in  the 
above  letter.  Charlotte  Weed  and  Anna  Sherman, 
then  of  West  Rupert,  Vermont,  had  been  students  at 
Hiram,  and  were  mutual  acquaintances  of  Mr.  Gar- 
field and  myself.  The  latter  subsequently  married 
Warren  L.  Hayden,  now  a  well-known  preacher, 
whose  home  I  believe  is  at  Washington,  Perm.  In 
June,  1884,  I  met  him  for  the  first  time  in  more  than 
thirty  years,  at  West  Rupert,  and  again,  a  few  days 
later  at  Swampscott,  Mass.  The  Prof.  Hull  of  whom 
Mr.  Garfield  speaks  is  now  of  Oskaloosa  College,  and 
his  brother  Jasper,  also  resides  in  Mahaska  county, 
Iowa.  W.  D.  Harrah,  formerly  of  Davenport,  Iowa, 
and  now  of  Detroit,  Mich.,  is  engaged  in  the  insurance 
business.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  W.  S.  Hay- 
den (a  cousin  of  the  one  before  named)  in  August 
1885,  at  Chardon,  Ohio.  He  has  been  a  preacher  and 
teacher  for  many  years,  most  of  the  time  at  Chagrin 
Falls,  Ohio,  only  three  miles  from  the  place  where  Mr. 
Garfield  was  born.  I  had  not  seen  him  before  since 
1854,  when  I  left  Hiram  for  Schraalenburgh. 

Howard  Durham,  to  whom  Mr.  Gai field  sent  a 
part  of  his  poem  in  answer  to  that  of  Miss  Pease,  was 
at  that  time  the  editor  of  a  literary  magazine  known  as 
the  "New  Western,"  published  in  Cincinnati.  He 
had  been  associated  with  Coates  Kinney  in  the  publica- 
tion of  the  "Genius  of  the  West,"  of  the  same  city, 
but  for  some  causes  they  parted  company,  and  Mr. 
Durham  commenced  the  publication  of  the  "New 
Western."     It  shared  the  fate  of  many  other  similar 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  1 47 

enterprises,  surviving  only  a  few  months,  and  has  long 
been  forgotten.  Its  gifted  young  editor  has  been  dead 
for  almost  a  third  of  a  century. 

The  "Mary"  whose  letter  Mr.  Garfield  had  not 
answered  was  Miss  Mary  P.  Watson,  and  the  unan- 
swered letter  was  the  answer  to  the  one  dated  July  23, 
1854,  given  in  the  last  chapter.  His  poem,  as  well  as 
the  promised  letter  written  two  days  later,  will  be 
given  in  the  next  chapter. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

LINES    TO     "HATTIE". A    LETTER    TO    MISS    WATSON. A 

VISIT  TO  TAPPAN. 

In  the  letter  of  Mr.  Garfield  dated  Sept.  14,  1854, 
already  given  to  the  reader,  it  will  be  remembered  he 
spoke  of  a  poem  written  by  him  in  answer  to  one  by 
Miss  Hattie  A.  Pease,  entitled  "Morning  in  Berk- 
shire." My  efforts  to  secure  a  copy  of  the  lines  of 
Miss  Pease  have  not  been  successful,  but  the  lines  of 
Mr.  Garfield  were  as  follows : 

TO  "HATTIE." 

The  western  sun  had  sought  his  ocean  bed 
Behind  the  granite  hills,  and  sable  night 
Had  spread  her  raven  wing  wide  o'er  the  world, 
When  first  I  gazed  upon  the  evening  star 
From  this,  the  lovely  village  where  perchance 
Thy  home  is,  Hattie,  though  I  know  it  not, 
Nor  thee.     But  as  the  rosy-fingered  dawn 
Doth  ope  the  gates  of  morn,  and  paint  a  blush 
Of  crimson  hue  upon  the  Day-God's  brow, 
At  which  the  child  of  nature  loves  to  gaze, 
So  in  the  "  Courier"  of  yesternight 
The  golden  glories  of  a  "  Berkshire  Morn  " 
Thou  didst,  in  glowing  verse,  to  me  portray 
Ere  I  beheld  it ;   and  no  fairer  is 
The  scene  that  I  this  early  morning  view, 
Than  was  the  picture  which  you  drew. 

But  yet 
Where'er  is  home,  sweet  home,  there  beauty  is. 
My  native  State!     I  love  thy  welcome  name, 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  I49 

Ohio.     'T  is  a  word  that  echoes  back 

The  names  of  mother,  sister,  brother,  friends, 

And  all  that  clings  so  fondly  to  the  heart. 

It  speaks  of  home,  of  boyhood's  happy  years, 

Of  days  long  buried  with  the  solemn  past ; 

Of  scenes,  bright,  joyous  scenes,  now  gone  for  aye, 

But  graved  in  gold  on  Memory's  faithful  page. 

It  calls  companions  lrom  their  graveyard  homes 

To  look  on  me  as  they  were  wont,  before 

The  dark  and  voiceless  tomb  o'er  them  had  closed 

Its  sombre  portal,  and  had  left  the  worm 

To  riot  on  their  loved  but  mouldering  hearts. 

Beloved  spot,  where  first  I  breathed  the  air 

Of  heaven,  and  looked  upon  the  morning  sun, 

I  've  left  thee  now  ;   but  though  'neath  fairer  skies, 

Where  cloud-capped  mountains  prop  the  bending  heavens 

And  nobler  streams  go  murmuring  through  the  vales 

And  bathe  the  granite  foot  of  greener  hills, 

Yet  when  the  day  is  done,  and  I  am  sad, 

And  fond  Remc  mbrance  from  her  temple  brings 

Her  diamond  treasures,  that  can  win  the  soul 

Away  to  other  scenes,  I  '11  wander  back 

And  linger  on  the  banks  of  thy  pure  streams, 

Or  climb  the  wood-crowned  hight,  and  fondly  gaze 

On  Erie's  bright  blue  waters  as  they  roll, 

And  listen  to  the  music  of  their  voice 

That  shouts  to  me  a  welcome  home  again. 

A  Stranger. 
Great  Barrington,  Aug.  25,  1854. 

Among  all  Mr.  Garfield's  writings  there  are  very- 
few  attempts  at  poetry,  though  very  frequently  there 
appears  a  rich  vein  of  poetic  thought  and  expression  in 
his  prose  writings  which  is  far  beyond  the  reach  of 
many  who  have  been  ranked  as  poets.  In  our  school  at 
Hiram  he  occasionally  attempted  rhymes,  but  he  seemed 
to  feel  intuitively  that  his  thought  was  most  clearly  and 
elegantly  expressed  either  in  blank  verse  or  prose.  I 
think  the  reader  will  agree  with  me  in  the  opinion  that 


!ij0  REMINISCENCES    OF 

there  are  lines  in  the  foregoing  poem  which  would  do 
no  discredit  to  the  genius  of  any  poet  of  the  last  cen- 
tury. 

The   following   is  the  answer  to  "Marys     letter, 

which  was  promised  soon  : 

Williams  College,  Sept.  16,  1854. 

Sister  Mine  .--One  month  ago  this  day  you  sent  me  a  thrice-welcome 
letter.  Three  weeks  of  the  time  since  then  I  have  been  absent  from 
this  place,  which  fact  I  hope  will  atone  for  my  long  delay,  and  now  I 
sit  down,  though  recovered  from  sickness,  and  enjoying  good  measure 
of  health  and  happiness,  yet  weary  and  worn  with  the  sentimentalities  of 
fitting  up  a  suit  of  rooms  for  a  year's  residence. 

Since  I  wrote  to  you  we  have  had  our  Annual  Festival — the  Six- 
tieth Commencement,  an  account  of  which  you  have  heard  from  some 
of  the  newspapers  of  the  day.  Hence  I  will  not  weary  you  with  a 
description  of  it,  though  I  should  probably  differ  in  many  particulars 
from  many  that  have  written.     On  the  whole  I  was  much  pleased. 

Since  the  last  session  closed  I  have  been  two  week  in  Southern 
Massachusetts,  forming  the  acquaintance  of  some  hundreds  of  stranger 
Garfields,  all  of  whom  claimed  a  relationship  somewhere  this  side  of 
Noah.  1  had  a  pleasant  visit,  and  moreover  did  not  a  little  in  the  way 
of  recruiting  my  health. 

From  thence  I  went  to  West  Rupert,  Bennington  county,  Vermont, 
where  was  in  progress  a  Disciples'  meeting,  and  Bro.  Benedict,  of  Ohio, 
was  the  speaker.  I  found  two  Hiram  students  residing  there,  and  also 
Bro.  M.  J.  Streator,  formerly  of  Ohio,  who  has  been  their  settled 
speaker  for  two  years.  Toward  him  my  heart  was  immediately  drawn 
out  in  sympathy.  The  shadows  of  deepest  sorrows  rest  upon  him.  He 
wandered  away  to  New  England,  and  has  just  now,  in  a  strange  land, 
buried  the  companion  of  his  bosom  among  the  solemn  mountains,  and 
is  now  returning  sadly  to  Ohio,  with  his  only  child,  a  tender  daughter 
of  ten  years,  so  as  to  put  many  long  miles  between  him  and  the  grave  of 
his  young  heart's  hope  and  love.  He  seemed  to  me  like  a  tall  oak  that 
had  been  scathed  by  the  lightnings  of  heaven,  its  heart  scorched  out, 
and  only  one  little  green  twig  remaining  on  its  top.  He  will  be  at  the 
Cato  meeting,  and  doubtless  you  will  see  him.  They  had  an  excellent 
meeting.  Eleven  in  all  were  immersed  and  one  added  from  the  Bap- 
tists. I  was  much  refreshed  and  strengthened.  Oh  !  how  I  long  to  be 
among  our  dear  brethren  again  !     I  know  we  have  the  truth,  and  I  be- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  I  5  I 

lieve  that  our  brethren  are  the  noblest  and  best  men  that  live.  If  God's 
Truth  can  make  men  godlike  they  ought  to  tie  so. 

I  am  now  settled  in  my  mountain  home,  and  am  just  commencing 
the  labors  ol  a  new  College  year.  I  look  forward  to  the  coming  scenes 
and  duties  that  seem  to  be  before  me  with  a  good  deal  of  faith  and 
hope  and  love — and  I  feel  reasonably  vigorous  and  strono-  for  waginsr 
life's  battle  again.  Oh  !  't  is  a  glorious  thing  to  live  and  labor.  Labor  is 
prayer,  and  may  our  Father  assist  me  to  perform  his  holy  will,  while  I 
am  thus  treading  ground  to  me  unknown. 

I  have  done  a  considerable  reading  since  I  came  here,  and  had 
just  finished  "  The  Heroines  of  History  "  as  I  received  your  letter.  I  was 
also  much  pleased  with  it. 

I  have  lately  heard  a  lecture  from  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson,  of  Con- 
cord, Mass.,  and  also  have  been  obtaining  some  of  his  writings.  He  is 
one  of  the  most  startlingly  original  and  attractive  men  I  have  heard 
or  read.  I  am  almost  intoxicated  with  his  thoughts  and  manner  of  ex- 
pressing them.  I  am  also  culling  the  beauties  from  Shakespeare,  the 
"  Immortal."  • 

Bro.  Charles  D.  Wilber  has  come,  and  brings  good  cheer  from 
Hiram  and  the  friends.  I  have  been  blessed  with  a  good  many  dear 
letters  from  my  beloved  ones  that  are  so  far  away.  Now,  Mary,  I  do 
thank  you  for  your  kind  and  good  letter,  and  earnestly  hope  that  I 
may  hear  from  you  again  and  again.  Forgive  this  commonplace  letter, 
and  let  me  have  a  chance  to  do  better  by  answering  another.  Corydon 
will  be  here  to  see  me  in  a  few  weeks. 

Most  sincerely,  I  am  your  brother,  James. 

Among  all  my  acquaintances  at  Shraalenburgh  the 
one  most  highly  esteemed  was  Miss  Eliza  Blauvelt,  the 
daughter  of  the  old  Dominie.  As  she  was  known  to  be 
engaged  to  be  married  to  a  gentleman  named  Richard 
Doremus,  and  as  my  own  preference  for  a  lady  in  Cen- 
tral New  York  were  also  known,  we  became  very  well 
acquainted  and  very  good  friends.  Mr.  Doremus  was 
intelligent  and  more  of  a  gentleman  than  most  of  the 
young  men  of  the  neighborhood,  but  he  had  the 
one  all-prevailing  fault  of  the  country,  he  occa- 
sionally   got     drunk !     They    were    married    on    the 


152  REMINISCENCES    OF 

first  of  October,  in  the  old  stone  church,  before  the 
morning  service,  by  the  bride's  father.  A  day  or  two 
later  I  had  a  farewell  visit  with  them,  and  in  some  way 
— how  I  do  not  now  remember — I  was  enabled  to 
speak  very  plainly  with  him  on  the  appalling  danger 
before  him.  He  received  my  warning  very  kindly  ; 
acknowledged  that  for  him  there  was  no  safety  except 
in  total  abstinence  from  strong  drink.  I  have  often  won- 
dered whether  he  was  able  to  break  his  chains  and  live 
a  sober  man,  or  whether  it  was  the  fate  of  the  sweet- 
spirited,  lovely  girl,  who  gave  her  life  and  happiness 
that  autumn  day,  to  find  herself  in  after  years  a  drunk- 
ard's wife! 

The  following  sketch  of  a  visit  to  one  of  the  many 
historic  localities  in  the  vicinity  of  Schraalenburgh  was 
written  not  long  after,  for  the  columns  of  the  New 
Western,  to  which  both  Mr.  Garfield  and  myself  were 
contributors  : 

TAPPAN. 

There  is  a  little  village  in  Rockland  county,  New  York,  known  by 
the  name  of  Tappan,  which  possesses  some  interest  from  its  Revolu- 
tionary associations.  It  is  the  place  where  the  young  and  noble  Major 
Andre  perished  by  the  stern  and  relentless  usages  of  war.  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  visiting  the  place  in  October  last(October  8,  1854).  It  was 
a  pleasant  Sunday  morning  that  we  left  the  quiet  little  village  of  Schraa- 
lenburgh, New  Jersey,  and  after  a  ride  of  some  half-dozen  miles  through 
a  highly  cultivated  country  inhabited  principally  by  the  descendants  of 
the  original  Dutch  settlers,  we  crossed  the  boundaries  of  the  Empire 
State,  and  were  soon  at  the  place  of  our  destination.  It  is  a  small 
place,  containing  perhaps  some  four  or  five  hundred  inhabitants,  and 
would  possess  little  to  interest  the  stranger  were  it  not  linked  with  our 
country's  early  history.  But  to  the  native  of  the  West  particularly 
these  spots  so  intimately  associated  with  the  great  events  of  the  memor- 
able struggle  for  Independence,  possess  a  strange  and  abiding  interest. 
Every  spot  on  which  the  heroic  defenders  of  our  liberties  bivouacked 
around  their  lonely  watchfires,  or  met  the  foe   in   deadly  rencounter,  in 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  I  53 

his  eyes  are  classic  ground.  Bunker  Hill,  Saratoga  and  Yorktown  are 
fraught  with  as  much  interest  as  Borodino,  Jena  and  Waterloo. 

Finding  ourselves  too  early  for  church,  we  strolled  into  the  old 
graveyard  a  little  north  of  the  town.  The  moss-covered  tombstones 
bear  dates  further  back  than  the  commencement  of  the  Revolution. 
In  one  place  I  noticed  a  gray  old  stone  with  the  inscription  half  oblit- 
erated by  the  frosts  and  rains  of  almost  fourscore  years,  which  was 
reared  in  memory  of  one  whose  steps  tottered  on  the  verge  of  the 
grave  when  the  distant  sound  of  the  approaching  contest  came  to  his 
aged  ear.  But  he  saw  not  the  serried  hosts  of  the  invaders,  nor  heard 
the  thunder  shock  of  battle  as  it  echoed  among  the  rocky  hills  ;  for, 
ere  the  first  blood  flowed  at  Lexington,  he  gathered  up  his  feet  in  death, 
and  his  children  laid  his  worn-out  frame  in  its  last  long  resting-place. 

A  short  distance  from  this  graveyard,  we  were  informed,  had  stood 
the  gallows  on  which  Andre  was  executed,  and  at  whose  feet  he  was 
buried.  The  house  is  still  standing  in  which  Washington  had  his 
headquarters,  and  the  room  is  still  shown  in  which  Andre  was  confined, 
and  from  which  he  was  led  forth  on  the  morning  of  the  2nd  of  October, 
1780,  to  die  a  felon's  death.  Seventy-four  years  had  passed  away,  and 
the  form  of  the  youthful  warrior  had  long  since  mingled  again  with  its 
kindred  dust,  yet  as  I  stood  leaning  against  an  old  tombstone,  that  fatal 
scene  seemed  repassing  before  me.  I  seemed  to  see  Andre,  full  of  the  life 
and  activity  of  youth,  led  forth  from  his  prison  chamber  in  the  bright 
and  glorious  autumn  morning,  to  look  for  the  last  time  on  this  beauti- 
ful world  and  then  to  die !  Oh !  it  is  hard  to  bid  adieu  to  earth  in  life's 
sunny  spring-time,  for  then  there  are  a  thousand  tender  ties  to  bind  one 
to  existence.  When  the  frame  is  worn  out  with  disease  and  racked 
with  pain  and  the  proud  spirit  bowed  and  broken,  even  then  it  is  hard 
to  close  one's  eyes  in  death,  and  lie  down  in  the  dark,  cold  charnel- 
house  !  But  when  the  pulse  is  bounding  with  life's  crimson  tide  ;  when 
hopes  are  as  bright  as  the  dreams  of  Paradise,  and 

"  Life  has  yet  to  borrow 
From  blighted  hopes  and  withered  joys 
The  bitterness  of  sorrow," 

how  fearful  it  must  be  to  die!  He  was  no  weary  pilgrim,  worn  and 
wasted  by  the  toils  of  life's  uneven  journey  ;  no  friendless  outcast  on  the 
world's  wide  waste,  but  a  youth  whose  every  future  dream  was  one  of 
glory. 

Poor  Andre  !  What  must  have  been  his  feelings  as  he  cast  his  eyes 
for  the  last  time  on  the  beautiful  hills  that  environed  him,  clad  in  the 
gorgeousness  of  their  autumn  glories,  and  thought  of  the  loved  ones 


154  REMINISCENCES    OF 

in  his  dear  old  home  beyond  the  sea,  and  of  her  whom  he  had  chosen 
as  his  bride,  when  he  should  return  to  his  native  land.  What  mattered 
it  to  him,  that  when  forty  years  had  passed  away  his  country  should 
send  across  the  blue  Atlantic  to  gather  his  ashes  for  a  burial  among  the 
bravest  of  her  sons  in  Westminster  Abbey  ?  Denied  by  a  stern  unpity- 
ing  necessity  the  last  request  he  had  to  make  on  earth — to  be  allowed 
to  die  a  soldier's  death — with  no  friend  near  him  to-  hear  his  dying 
words,  bravely  he  met  his  ignominious  fate.  The  last  hour  had  come. 
The  youthful  form  swayed  in  the  morning  breeze,  as  it  hung  between 
the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  the  beating  heart  grew  still  and  cold ; 
the  flashing  eye  grew  dim  and  lusterless,  and  the  mysterious  spirit  of 
life  had  fled  from  its  earthly  tenement,  to  return  no  more  till  the  blast 
of  that  trumpet  which  shall  awake  the  pale  nations  of  the  dead. 

The  memory  of  this  unfortunate  man  is  scarcely  less  honored  by 
the  American  people  than  by  his  countrymen.  While  the  name  of 
Arnold  is  but  another  word  for  traitor,  and  his  dark  deeds  have 
shrouded  his  character  with  the  pall  of  immortal  infamy,  the  virtues  of 
Andre  are  remembered  and  respected  even  by  his  enemies.  When  the 
British  Government  obtained  permission  to  remove  his' ashes  from  Tap- 
pan  to  England,  they  supposed  a  military  force  would  be  necessary  to 
enable  them  to  accomplish  their  object,  as  they  feared  resistance  from 
the  people ;  but  so  far  was  this  from  being  the  case,  that  they  received 
the  assistance  of  the  citizens,  who  were  more  than  willing  to  do  honor 
to  the  warrior's  memory.  This  took  place  in  1S21,  and  in  November  of 
that  year  his  remains  were  deposited  in  their  final  resting-place  among 
England's  noblest  lead. 

The  bell  of  the  village  church  aroused  me  from  my  reverie,  and 
turning  away  from  the  old  burial  place,  we  entered  the  large  brick  edi- 
fice, and  seated  ourselves  among  the  worshipers.  I  must  confess  I  was 
not  much  interested  in  the  sermon,  and  was  glad  when  the  services 
were  ended.  Slowly  we  drove  through  the  principal  street,  pausing  a 
moment  in  front  of  the  old  stone  house  which  I  have  mentioned  before. 
It  is  now,  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  the  Revolution,  a  public  house,  and 
the  name  on  the  old  sign  is  the  "Seventy-six  Stone  House."  One  more 
lingering  look  I  cast  upon  the  ancient  structure  and  the  winding  street 
of  the  quiet  village,  and  then  bid  it  adieu  forever. 

One  more  letter  from  Mr.  Garfield  reached  me  at 
Schraalenburgh : 

Williams  College,  Oct.  11,  1854. 
Mv  Bear  Corydon : — After  waiting  for  a  letter  from  you  for  about 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  I  55 

two  weeks,  I  will  try  to  stop  the  delay  by  writing  a  few  words  to  you. 
I  wrote  to  you  a  day  or  two  before  receiving  yours  of  Sept.  19,  and  it 
may  not  have  reached  you.  We  are  finely  situated  and  are  doing  first 
rate  in  our  studies. 

I  have  just  comedown  from  the  meeting  of  the  Philologian  Society,  of 
which  I  am  a  member,  and  in  which  I  have  this  evening  made  my  first 
speech.  It  was  a  debate,  and  I  do  not  feel  altogether  dissatisfied  with 
my  effort.     Three  weeks  from  to-night  I  deliver  an  oration. 

Charles  is  here  and  doing  very  well.  He  came  here  the  next  day 
after  I  wrote  you  the  last  time.  I  believe  it  is  next  Monday  that  you 
start  away  from  Schraalenburgh,  and  one  object  in  writing  you  this  is 
to  request  you  to  do  some  business  for  me  in  New  York.  I  wish  you 
would  get  me  a  half  ream  of  that  Bath  Post  paper,  and  also  go  to  the 
"  Bible  Union  Rooms"  and  get  me  a  copy  of  the  revised  version  of  the 
New  Testament.  They  have  published  a  bound  volume  containing  five 
or  six  books  of  the  New  Testament,  and  I  wish  to  obtain  it.  I  pre- 
sume you  can  get  it  of  Bro.  S.  E.  Shepard.  Bro.  Wilber  wants  you  to 
get  him  a  copy  of  Cicero's  "Tusculan  Disputations,"  Anthon's  edi- 
tion. If  there  are  any  other  books  of  the  New  Testament  revised  and 
in  a  bound  volume,  please  get  them.  When  you  come  we  will  make  it 
right. 

Excuse  the  brevity  of  this  note ;  it  is  not  a  letter. *  It  is  nearly 
midnight,  and  I  must  go  to  bed.  I  would  say  much  about  the  moun- 
tains, but  you  will  soon  be  here  and  then  we  will  look.     As  ever, 

James. 

"Charles"  was  Charles  D.  Wilber,  of  whom  I 
have  spoken  heretofore  in  these  sketches.  The  reader 
will  not  wonder  at  Mr.  Garfield's  enthusiasm  over  the 
mountains  about  Williamstown  when  he  remembers 
that  they  were  the  first  mountains  he  had  ever  seen. 
They  were  in  their  glorious  autumn  garb,  resplendent 
in  green  and  gold,  and  to  eyes  all  unaccustomed  to 
nature's  grander  scenery  they  may  have  been  overesti- 
mated. 

My  school  at  Schraalenburgh  closed  October  13,. 
1854.  I  had  taught  six  months,  for  which  I  received  $200, 
$50  of  which  I  paid  for  my  board.      My  predecessor^ 


I56  REMINISCENCES    OF 

George  J.  S.  Chesebro,  was  present  during  the  last  day 
or  two,  having  come  from  Guilderland,  150  miles,  not 
so  much  to  see  the  children  or  the  teacher  as  to  make 
a  visit  to  Miss  Hannah  Demarest,  with  whom  it  seemed 
he  had  left  his  heart  when  he  departed  the  preceding 
spring.  I  could  not  then  understand  why  a  bright,  well 
educated  gentleman,  of  far  more  than  ordinary  ability, 
should  choose  as  his  life-companion  an  ordinary,  unedu- 
cated Jersey  girl,  in  preference  to  half  a  hundred  other 
girls,  who  were  greatly  her  superiors,  whom  he  might 
just  as  well  have  chosen.  But  it  was  none  of  my  busi- 
ness, as  I  was  entirely  certain  I  did  not  want  her.  The 
same  problem  has  perhaps  puzzled  wiser  men  and 
women  for  thousands  of  years,  and  I  suppose  will  con- 
tinue to  do  so  until  the  end  of  time. 

I  was  about  to  leave  quaint,  quiet  Schraalenburgh, 
with  its  sleepy  virtues,  its  strange  old  customs  inherited 
from  its  Dutch  ancestors  ;  its  mixed  and  marvelous  dia- 
lect, in  which  the  speech  of  old  Holland  and  new 
America  were  strangely  blended,  and  seek  my  home 
again  in  the  mighty,  restless,  growing  West.  Before 
closing  this  chapter  of  my  life  history,  and  bidding  a 
final  adieu  to  my  Jersey  experiences,  there  are  a  few 
things  more  which  I  desire  to  note. 

Were  you  ever  a  school  teacher  ?  Have  you  ever 
attended  the  close  of  a  term  of  school,  where  you 
were  to  take  the  place  the  ensuing  term  of  the  present 
teacher?  Have  you  noted  the  inquiring  glances  of  the 
bright-eyed  children,  who  were  making  a  mental  esti- 
mate of  your  talents,  education,  etc.,  and  comparing 
you  with  your  predecessor  ?  If  so,  you  have  been  sub- 
jected to  an  embarrassing  ordeal.  When  I  commenced 
my  engagement  at   Schraalenburgh  I   knew   I   was  to 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  I  57 

succeed  one  who  had  given  almost  universal  satisfaction, 
and  who  was  greatly  beloved  by  his  pupils,  as  well  as 
by  their  parents.  Himself  of  Dutch  ancestry,  though 
he  had  enjoyed  the  advantage  of  a  good  education  in 
the  New  York  State  Normal  School,  he  had  few  preju- 
dices to  overcome,  and  as  he  was  really  a  superior 
teacher,  he  had  succeeded  admirably  in  his  work.  But 
I  had  come  from  a  distant  State,  which  seemed  as  far 
removed  from  them,  and  was  as  utterly  unknown  to 
the  great  majority,  as  the  jungles  of  India.  Their  idea 
of  the  mighty  West,  which  in  its  career  to  greatness 
had  set  aside  the  experience  of  the  past,  and  accom- 
plished in  a  quarter  of  a  century  the  work  of  ages,  was 
of  interminable  forests,  filled  with  wild  beasts  and  sav- 
ages, with  here  and  there  the  rude  cabin  of  some  dar- 
ing settler.  A  people,  the  most  of  whom  were  unable 
or  unaccustomed  to  read  and  keep  up  with  the 
progress  of  the  age,  were  hardly  able  to  believe  that 
Ohio  was  better  cultivated  and  better  supplied  with 
churches  and  school-houses  than  their  own  State,  and 
still  less  that  Michigan,  which  I  gave  as  my  residence, 
was  really  within  the  pale  of  civilization.  In  addition 
to  their  prejudices,  I  was  wholly  unacquainted  with 
their  customs,  as  well  as  the  language  in  which  most  of 
the  conversation  of  the  older  people  was  carried  on. 
That  I  succeeded  under  such  circumstance,  and  was  of- 
fered an  advance  of  salary  to  remain,  was  more  than 
I  expected,  or  really  felt  that  I  deserved.  More  than 
thirty  years  have  passed  away  since  I  closed  my  work 
among  them,  and  not  one  of  them  have  I  ever  met 
since  that  day.  For  a  time  I  kept  up  a  correspon- 
dence with  some  of  my  pupils,  but  for  many  years  I 


153 


REMINISCENCES    OF 


have  had  no  tidings  concerning  them.     The  children 
used  to  sing : 

"  When  shall  we  meet  again, 
Meet  ne'er  to  sever  ? 
When  will  peace  wreathe  her  chain 
Round  us  forever?" 

Sweet  little  Gitty  Bell  and  Louisa  Hasbrouck ! 
How  has  life  used  you  ?  And  a  score  of  others,  whose 
eyes  filled  with  tears  that  sad  "last  day  of  school," 
when  I  bade  you  the  final  "good  bye." 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

A    VISIT    TO    MR.    GARFIELD,    AT  WILLIAMS    COLLEGE. THE 

"IRREPRESSIBLE    CONFLICT." 

I  left  Schraalenburgh  on  the  morning  of  October 
1 6,  1854,  in  company  with  Mr.  Chesebro,  and  spent 
the  day  in  the  city  of  New  York.  At  6  o'clock  p.  m., 
we  took  passage  on  the  steamer  "Isaac  Newton," 
bound  for  Albany,  where  we  arrived  early  the  follow- 
ing morning.  The  topic  of  absorbing  interest  was  the 
loss  of  the  steamship  Arctic,  which  came  in  collision 
with  the  steamer  Vesta,  off  the  coast  of  Newfoundland, 
and  sank  three  hours* after,  carrying  with  her  two  hun- 
dred passengers  and  crew.  Capt.  Luce,  her  comman- 
der, arrived  at  Yonkers  that  evening.  At  Albany  I 
bade  Mr.  Chesebro  good-bye  and  proceeded  to  Troy, 
and  after  much  difficulty,  at  6  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
arrived  at  Williamstown,  having  been  obliged  to  travel 
from  Troy  to  Pittsfield,  and  thence  to  North  Adams, 
and  from  there  to  my  destination.  It  was  my  first 
night  in  Massachusetts.  At  six  o'clock  Wednesday 
morning  I  went  to  the  College  chapel  and  there  found 
Mr.  Garfield  and  Mr.  Wilber. 

I  may  have  noted  the  fact  that  my  first  teacher  in 
the  Grand  Rapids  Academy  was  Prof.  Addison  Bal- 
lard, who  had  then  recently  graduated  at  Williams 
College,  in  the  class  of  1842.  In  1854  he  had  been 
elected   to  a  professorship  in  his   Alma  Mater,  and  I 


l6o  REMINISCENCES    OF 

was  much  pleased  to  meet  him.      He  is  now  (1885)   a 
Professor  in  Lafayette  College. 

After  the  lapse  of  more  than  forty  years  there 
comes  fresh  to  my  mind  one  lesson  which  Prof.  Ballard 
gave  us  one  morning,  in  the  little  one-story  building 
known  at  that  time  as  the  Academy,  at  Grand  Rapids. 
Old  settlers  will  remember  it,  though  it  has  long  since 
passed  away.  He  told  us  how,  "in  feudal  times,  after 
the  lands  of  England  had  been  parceled  out  among 
her  lords,  the  people  were  all  required  to  pay  an 
annual  rental  for  the  use  of  the  lands.  But  now  and 
then  there  came  a  year  when  the  seasons  were  unpropi- 
tious  and  the  crops  failed  and  the  wretched  cultivators 
of  the  soil  could  not  pay  their  rent.  At  such  times  it 
became  a  custom  to  allow  them,  in  lieu  of  the  rent  due, 
to  bring  a  single  peppercorn  and  deliver  the  same  to 
the  nobleman  to  whom  they  were  indebted.  This  be- 
came known  as  the  "peppercorn  rent,"  and  was  un- 
derstood to  be  a  badge  of  servitude  ;  an  acknowledg- 
ment of  their  dependence.  It  did  the  lord  and  manor 
no  good,  but  was  a  confession  of  their  obligation  and 
that  they  were  his  servants.  In  this  day  profanity  is 
the  peppercorn  rent  which  men  pay  to  the  Devil ;  it 
does  him  no  good,  but  is  a  simple  acknowledgment  of 
their  willing  allegiance ;  a  badge  to  show  that  they  are 
his  servants." 

I  spent  Wednesday  and  Thursday  with  Mr.  Gar- 
field, visiting  the  objects  of  interest  about  the  College. 
As  the  notes  in  my  journal  are  very  full  concerning 
the  events  of  these  two  days,  I  copy  them  at  length  : 

At  3  o'clock  we  attended  the  rhetorical  exercises  of  all  the  classes 
at  the  chapel.  President  Hopkins  acted  as  critic.  He  is  a  venerable 
man,  and  has  been  here  as  President  for  the  last  eighteen   years  and 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  l6l 

has  been  offered  the  Presidency  of  Yale.  Some  of  the  exercises  were 
good,  but  I  could  not  help  thinking  that  if  I  had  enjoyed  the  [same 
privileges  as  the  performers  I  might  have  done  as  well  as  many  of 
them. 

The  clouds  have  been  lying  on  the  mountain  sides  all  the  after- 
noon, and  we  have  had  several  showers.  I  never  felt  the  idea  of  a 
"cloud-capped  mountain"  till  to-day,  and  I  can  never  regret  that  I 
have  visited  this  glorious  place.  At  5  o'clock  we  attended  the  chapel 
exercises,  and  this  evening  have  attended  the  meeting  of  one  of  the 
Literary  Societies.  James  is  a  member  of  the  Philologian  Society.  This 
was  the  evening  for  the  election  of  officers,  and  after  the  conclusion  of 
this  we  listened  to  an  address  by  the  retiring  President,  Mr.  Forbes,  of 
the  Senior  Class.  His  subject  was  "Individuality,"  and  his  address 
was  a  very  good  one.  I  am  much  pleased  with  all  things  seen  here, 
and  only  wish  that  I  was  fated  to  cope  with  the  band  who  are  gathered 
here,  from  Massachusetts'  rugged  hills,  Ohio's  fertile  plains,  and  be- 
yond the  "  blue  world  of  waters,"  as  well  as  our  own  native  land. 

I  am  satisfied  that  James  is  doing  well,  and  shall  not  be  at  all  sur- 
prised to  hear  that  he  has  taken  the  highest  honors  of  the  class  in 
which  he  will  graduate.  He  must  inevitably  acquire  an  influence  here 
which  will  make  \\\m.felt,  and  I  shall  rejoice  in  his  highest  success,  un- 
less it  should  dry  up  the  fountains  of  affection  in  the  heart  and  turn 
him  into  a  cold,  unfeeling  man.  God  grant  that  it  may  never  have 
this  effect  upon  him  ;  to  make  him  forget  those  who  have  loved  him 
and  cherished  his  affection  as  the  apple  of  the  eye.  For  three  years  we 
have  been  more  intimate  than  brothers,  and  Heaven  knows  that  I  have 
cherished  no  other  friendship  as  I  have  his.  In  the  golden  future 
which  will  be  his  lot,  may  he  remember  me,  as  I  shall  ever  remember 
him.  Away  such  thoughts!  for  were  he  fated  to  fill  the  loftiest  posi- 
tion in  the  land,  he  could  never  forget  the  days  of  yore. 

I  can  not  help  thinking  of  these  glorious  old  mountains  ;  hoary- 
headed  Grey-lock,  that  stands  with  his  feet  on  the  earth  and  his  head 
in  heaven ;  around  whose  brow  the  tempests  gather,  and  whose  mantle 
is  woven  of  the  thickest  storm-clouds !  There  can  not  be  found  a  finer 
location  for  a  college  in  all  the  world  than  in  this  place.  But  I  dare 
not  attempt  a  description,  since  that  of  others  more  gifted  than  myself 
has  failed  to  convey  to  my  mind  an  adequate  idea  of  its  grandeur  and 
beauty. 

James  and  I  have  conversed  of  our  future  ;  and  I  feel  better  satis- 
fied with  my  half-formed  plans  than  I  did  before  I  came  here.  We 
have  read  several  letters  to  each  other.      He  has  received  many  excel- 


j52  reminiscences  of 

lent  letters  from  Almeda  A.  Booth  and  from  Lucretia,  and  has  also  re- 
ceived two  from  Mary,  which  I  was  not  disappointed  in  reading.  But 
it  is  now  time  to  rest,  and  I  lay  aside  my  pen  and  seek  sleep,  for  the 
second  night  in  glorious  old  Massachusetts.  Then,  busy,  bustling 
world,  a  kind  good  night. 

Thursday,  Oct.   19: 

Again  it  is  morning,  and  the  mountains  around  are  snow-capped, 
and  the  fleecy  flakes  are  falling  thick  and  fast  upon  the  earth.  Storms 
gather  round  the  mountain  tops  and  come  down  in  the  valley. 

We  have  just  returned  from  the  recitation  of  the  class  in  Quintil- 
ian,  and  it  went  off  much  better  than  it  did  yesterday  morning.  I 
shall  stay  here  till  to-morrow  and  hurry  away  to  Butler  and  then 
to  Michigan. 

12  o'clock.— This  forenoon  we  have  attended  a  lecture  on  Philoso- 
phy, by  Prof.  Albert  Hopkins.  It  was  a  most  excellent  lecture,  and  I 
would  be  very  much  pleased  to  be  able  to  attend  the  whole  course. 
His  illustrations  were  very  fine  and  he  made  all  things  so  very  plain 
that  there  could  be  little  danger  of  his  being  misunderstood.  He  has 
traveled  in  the  old  world,  and  this  is  of  inestimable  benefit  to  the 
thinking  man.  His  experiments  to-day  were  simple,  as  the  subject 
was  the  gravity  of  bodies,  or,  more  properly,  the  center  of  gravity. 
The  recitation  of  the  class  was  not  as  perfect  as  I  had  expected  to 
hear,  several  of  the  students  making  very  bad  blunders. 

The  day  thus  far  has  been  very  changeable ;  alternate  snow,  rain 
and  sunshine.  The  clouds  seem  piled  upon  the  mountains  in  massive 
heaps ;  the  high  peaks  are  white  with  snow,  while  ever  and  anon  the 
sunshine  lights  them  up,  revealing  the  autumnal  livery  of  the  forests 
mingled  or  variegated  by  the  white  robes  of  winter.  Stern  Winter,  on 
his  icy  throne,  already  looks  down  from  Grey-lock,  while  Autumn  still 
has  possession  of  the  valley ;  but  the  old  tyrant  is  daily  extending  the 
area  of  his  dominion,  and  soon  will  wrap  all  our  northern  lands  in  his 
icy  mantle. 

It  is  now  twenty  minutes  past  one  o'clock.  James  and  Charles  are 
studying  their  Greek  lesson,  which  they  will  soon  be  called  upon  to 
recite,  and  I  am  amusing  myself  by  writing  down  something  of  this 
place  and  thoughts  suggested  by  it.  To-morrow  morning  at  9  o'clock 
I  am  to  leave  for  Troy.  I  have  never  seen  any  other  village  which  was 
similarly  situated  to  this.  The  mountains  are  on  every  side  of  it,  and 
the  College  buildings  are  all  situated  on  beautiful  hills,  within  this  val- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  1 63 

ley.  The  prospect  can  not  be  said  to  be  very  extensive,  for  vision  is 
bounded  on  every  side  by  the  giant  hills.  Yet  from  the  top  of  some  of 
these  mountains  the  Hudson  and  Connecticut  rivers  can  both  be  seen, 
as  well  as  a  vast  extent  of  country  around.  I  wish  I  had  time  and  a 
favorable  opportunity  to  climb  one  of  them  and  thus  get  a  sight  of  this 
whole  region.  But  Winter's  breath  is  now  too  icy  for  me  to  wish  to  visit 
his  eternal  habitation.  I  must  postpone  that  visit  till  it  is  warmer  in 
the  valleys. 

I  have  little  idea  now  when  I  shall  revisit  Williamstown.  It 
James  and  I  both  live  I  shall  very  much  wish  to  come  here  when  he 
graduates,  which  I  suppose  will  be  in  August,  1856.  But  God  only 
knows  where  we  shall  be  then.  I  am  sorry  that  our  paths  are  so  diver- 
gent as  we  journey  over  the  hills  and  plains  of  life,  yet  so  it  must  be. 
Many  a  long  and  weary  month  will  roll  away  before  I  shall  again  grasp 
his  hand  after  we  have  again  parted. 

It  is  now  half-past  seven  o'clock  p.  m.,  and  I  again  take  my  pen  to 
write  a  few  more  lines  concerning  my  visit  here  at  Williamstown. 
This  afternoon  I  have  attended  a  recitation  in  Greek,  by  the  Junior 
Class.  James  did  first  rate,  and  I  have  just  been  conversing  with  one 
of  the  class,  who  says  that  he  will  take  one  of  the  first  honors.  I  have 
not  doubted  this  from  the  first,  and  Heaven  knows  I  hope  he  may  suc- 
ceed in  every  laudable  undertaking.  I  am  to  leave  to-morrow  morning, 
and  know  not  when  I  shall  see  James  again.  May  God  preserve  him  is 
my  earnest  prayer.  He  is  ambitious,  bui  his  ambition  is  good  and  gen- 
erous and  one  which  would  scorn  to  build  on  the  wreck  of  a  rival's 
hopes.  If  his  health  holds  out  I  know  he  must  succeed  in  his  under- 
takings. 

There  are  many  things  around  the  college  which  I  have  failed  to 
mention,  that  make  it  a  lovely  spot.  But  I  can  not  say  more  of  it  now, 
for  my  eyes  and  hands  are  weary. 

Friday,  Oct.    20 : 

Last  night  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  planet  Saturn  through 
the  large  telescope  belonging  to  the  Lawrence  Observatory.  It  was  a 
novel  and  very  interesting  sight.  The  planet  looked  very  large  and 
beautiful  and  the  rings  were  very  plainly  to  be  seen.  The  heavens  look 
glorious  through  this  wonderful  instrument. 

The  foregoing  extracts  from  my  journal  were  writ- 
ten   at   the    room    of  Mr.   Garfield,   and   while    some- 


1 64  REMINISCENCES    OF 

what  extended,  yet  they  do  not  mention  some 
facts  of  interest.  In  his  letter  of  July  30,  he  had 
expressed  his  determination  "that  of  the  forty-two 
members  of  his  class  thirty-seven  should  stand  be- 
hind him  within  two  months."  Of  course  I  was 
anxious  to  know  how  he  succeeded,  and  I  made  in- 
quiry of  several  members  of  the  class.  The  uniform 
testimony  was  that  he  stood  either  first  or  second 
in  the  class.  I  was  told  that  only  one  man  attempted 
to  dispute  the  place  with  him,  and  even  he  was  not 
clearly  entitled  to  the  first  place.  There  was  a  broad, 
far-reaching  grasp  in  his  intellect  which  enabled  him  to 
sieze  upon  principles  at  once  and  appropriate  them  so 
completely  that  henceforth  they  became  a  part  of  him- 
self. His  mental  discipline  was  so  much  more 
thorough  than  that  of  the  average  student,  trained  as 
he  had  been  in  the  hard  school  of  experience,  that  it 
was  little  wonder  that   he  distanced  all  competitors. 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  here  to  call  attention  to 
certain  events  of  importance,  contemporaneous  with 
those  I  have  been  narrating,  which  unquestionably  had 
a  great  and  abiding  influence  upon  the  life  and  charac- 
ter of  Mr.  Garfield,  as  exhibited  before  the  world  in 
after  years. 

In  May,  1854,  the  Congress  of  the  United  States 
had  passed  the  so-called  Nebraska  Bill,  and  repealed 
the  "  Missouri  Compromise;"  in  words  more  intelligi- 
ble to  readers  of  this  day,  had  provided  for  the  organi- 
zation of  a  territorial  government  over  the  lands  now 
included  in  the  States  of  Nebraska  and  Kansas,  and 
repealed  the  law  which,  from  1820,  had  prohibited  the 
introduction  of  slavery  into  territory  north  of  latitude 
36  deg.    30  min.     The   famous   Dred   Scott  case  was 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  165 

pending  in  the  courts,  and  the  fiery  debates  which  a  few 
years  later  were  to  be  transferred  from  the  forum  to  the 
battle-field,  were  stirring  the  people  as  they  had  never 
been  stirred  before.  For  four  years  the  fugitive  slave 
law  had  made  it  the  legal  duty  of  every  Northern  man 
to  assist  in  apprehending  and  returning  to  the  hell  of 
slavery  every  fugitive  who  had  possessed  enough  intel- 
ligence and  spirit  to  flee  from  the  .unpaid  toil  of  the 
bondman.  In  June  of  the  same  year,  Anthony  Burns 
had  been  captured  in  Boston,  and  by  order  of  President 
Pierce  a  United  States  vessel  had  been  sent  to  convey 
him  back  to  slavery  in  Virginia.  The  whole  North  was 
excited  over  the  almost  daily  occurrence  of  tragedies  in 
connection  with  the  enforcement  of  the  brutal  statute, 
and  public  sentiment  in  every  neighborhood  of  the  free 
States  was  beginning  to  crystallize  into  hatred  of  the 
infamous  institution  which  demanded  such  shameful 
services  of  those  who  had  supposed  themselves  freemen. 

In  a  public  meeting  in  Ohio,  where  Joshua  R.  Gid- 
dings  was  making  a  speech,  one  of  his  hearers,  of  the 
opposite  party,  said : 

"  Mr.  Giddings,  may  I  ask  you  a  question?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  I  am  told  you  said  a  few  days  ago  that  if  you  were 
a  slave  you  would  make  your  way  to  freedom,  if  you 
had  to  walk  over  the  dead  bodies  of  slave-holders  all 
the  way  from  Georgia  to  Canada.      Did  you  say  so?" 

"Yes,  sir;   and  wouldn't  you?" 

"I  do  not  wish  to  have  any  controversy  with  you, 
Mr.  Giddings.  I  merely  wished  to  know  if  you  made 
the  statement  I  have  quoted." 

"Controversy!  What  do  you  mean?  Answer  my 
question.    If  you  were  a  slave  would  not  you  make  your 


!66  REMINISCENCES    OF 

way  to  freedom,  if  need   be  over  the  dead  bodies  of 
those  who  had  enslaved  you?" 

Mr.  Giddings  had  fixed  his  eagle  glance  upon  the 
man,  and  pointing  his  finger  at  him,  repeated  his  ques- 
tion in  a  voice  of  thunder,  "Answer  me;  wouldn't 
you?"  When  the  answer  came  back,  "Yes,  Mr.  Gid- 
dings, I  believe  I  would,"  the  shout  that  went  up  from 
the  multitude  was  such  as  to  bode  ill  success  to  the 
slave-hunter  who  sought  his  game  on  the  Western 
Reserve. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  young  men  as  intelli- 
gent as  James  A.  Garfield  and  those  with  whom  he  was 
associated  were  ignorant  or  uninterested  spectators  of 
the  conflict  being  waged  between  freedom  and  slavery. 
While  his  time  was  principally  occupied  with  his  col- 
legiate studies,  he  was  accustomed  to  keep  himself  well 
informed  as  to  the  news  of  the  day,  not  only  of  his 
own,  but  of  foreign  lands.  The  attempt  to  fasten 
slavery  upon  Nebraska  and  Kansas  raised  a  storm  of 
indignation,  even  as  early  as  1854,  and  each  passing 
month  added  to  the  excitement. 

Mention  has  already  been  made  of  the  dispatch  of  a 
national  vessel,  by  President  Pierce,  to  return  Anthony 
Burns  to  his  master  in  Virginia,  all  at  the  expense  of 
the  Government.  The  following  famous  poem,  inspired 
by  this  disgraceful  act,  and  indicative  of  the  rising  tide 
of  anti-slavery  sentiment,  appeared  that  summer  in  the 
columns  of  the  New  York  Tribune : 

HAIL  TO  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES. 

Hail  to  the  Stars  and  Stripes  ! 

The  boastful  flag  all  hail ! 
The  tyrant  trembles  now, 

And  at  the  sight  grows  pale; 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  \6f 

The  Old  World  groans  in  pain, 

And  turns  her  eye  to  see, 
Beyond  the  Western  Main, 

The  emblem  of  the  Free. 

Hail  to  the  Stars  and  Stripes ! 

Hope  beams  in  every  ray ! 
And,  shining  through  the  bars 

Of  gloom,  points  out  the  way ; 
The  Old  World  sees  the  light 

That  shall  her  cells  illume; 
And  shrinking  back  to  night, 

Oppression  reads  her  doom. 

Hail  to  the  Stars  and  Stripes ! 

They  float  in  every  sea; 
The  crystal  waves  speed  on, 

The  emblem  of  the  Free ! 
Beneath  the  azure  sky 

Of  soft  Italia's  clime, 
Or  where  Auroras  die 

In  solitude  sublime. 

All  hail  the  flaunting  Lie ! 

The  Stars  grow  pale  and  dim — 
The  Stripes  are  bloody  scars, 

A  lie  the  flaunting  hymn  ! 
It  shields  the  pirate's  deck, 

It  binds  a  man  in  chains ; 
It  yokes  the  captive's  neck, 

And  wipes  the  bloody  stains. 

Tear  down  the  flaunting  Lie  ! 

Half  mast  the  starry  flag  ! 
Insult  no  sunny  sky 

With  Hate's  polluted  rag ! 
Destroy  it,  ye  who  can ! 

Deep  sink  it  in  the  waves ! 
It  bears  a  fellow  man 

To  groan  with  fellow  slaves  ! 

Awake  the  burning  scorn  ! 

The  vengeance  long  and  deep, 


1 68 


REMINISCENCES    OF 

That  till  a  better  morn 

Shall  neither  tire  nor  sleep ! 

Swear  once  again  the  vow, 
O  freeman  !  dare  to  do  ! 

God's  will  is  ever  now  ! 
May  His  thy  will  renew  ! 

Enfurl  the  boasted  Lie ! 

Till  freedom  lives  again, 
To  reign  once  more  in  truth, 

Amoag  untrammekd  men ! 
Roll  up  the  starry  sheen — 

Conceal  its  bloody  stains ; 
For  in  its  folds  are  seen 

The  stamp  of  rusting  chains. 

Be  bold,  ye  heroes  all ! 

Spurn,  spurn  the  flaunting  Lie, 
Till  Peace,  and  Truth,  and  Love 

Shall  fill  the  bending  sky ; 
Then  floating  in  the  air, 

O'er  hill,  and  dale,  and  sea, 
'T  will  stand  forever  fair, 

The  emblem  of  the  Free  ! 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

JOURNEY  TO  MICHIGAN. LETTERS  FROM  MR.  GARFIELD. 

HE  PREACHES  AT  POESTENKILL,  N.  Y. 

On  the  morning  of  Friday,  Oct.  20,  1854,  I  left 
Williamstown,  after  bidding  good  bye  to  Mr.  Wilber 
and  Mr.  Garfield,  and  made  my  journey  westward  as 
far  as  Utica,  N.  Y.,  where  I  arrived  at  half-past  ten 
o'clock  that  evening.  The  next  day  I  continued  my 
journey  as  far  as  Butler,  where  I  remained  about  a 
week.  On  Monday,  Oct.  30,  I  again  started  home- 
ward, proceeding  that  day  as  far  as  Williamsville,  a  vil- 
lage some  five  or  six  miles  from  the  city  of  Buffalo. 
Several  of  the  Hiram  students  lived  there,  among  whom 
were  Miss  Frank  Witwer,  Misses  Fanny  and  Elizabeth 
Frick,  Miss  Martha  Root  and  Miss  Mary  J.  Chapin,  all 
of  whom  were  valued  acquaintances.  I  think  several 
of  those  named  subsequently  removed  to  Cedar  Rapids, 
Iowa,  but  I  have  never  met  the  first  three  since  that 
time.  Miss  Chapin  died  many  years  ago,  and  Miss 
Root,  now  Mrs.  Cyrus  Bosworth,  resides  in  Cleveland. 

The  next  afternoon  I  returned  to  Buffalo,  and  took 
passage  on  the  steamer  Plymouth  Rock,  for  Detroit, 
where  we  arrived  Wednesday  evening,  and  thence  by 
the  railroad  I  reached  Kalamazoo,  Mich.,  at  3  o'clock 
A.  m.  of  Thursday.  The  stage  for  Grand  Rapids  left  at 
half-past  seven  o'clock,  with  twenty-two  passengers,  of 

whom   I  was  one.  and  after  a  ride  of  fifty  miles  I  ar- 

169 


I^O  REMINISCENCES    OF 

rived  at  home,  having  been  absent  about  fifteen 
months.  At  that  time  no  railroad  had  reached  Grand 
Rapids,  and  all  the  travel  to  and  from  the  great  outside 
world  was  by  the  old-fashioned  stage-coach.  Thirty 
years  have  wrought  great  changes,  and  now  Grand 
Rapids  is  a  great  manufacturing  city  of  sixty  or  seventy 
thousand  inhabitants,  with  half  a  dozen  or  more  rail- 
roads, and  all  the  wonderful  conveniences  and  luxuries 
of  the  age. 

On  Sunday,  Nov.  5,  1854,  I  wrote  a  letter  to  Mr. 
Garfield,  announcing  my  safe  arrival  at  home,  and  in 
answer  received  the  following  letter  : 

Williams  College,  Nov.  12,  1854. 

My  Dear  Corydon: — Your  welcome  letter  of  the  5th  inst.  came 
duly  to  hand,  and  brought  cheering  news  of  your  safe  arrival.  I  was 
beginning  to  feel  anxious  about  you,  not  hearing  in  so  long  a  time.  It 
must  be  a  joyful  thing  for  you  to  meet  them  all  once  more  around  "  the: 
old  hearthstone  " — a  joy  which  I  can  never  again  know.  One  year  ago 
this  present  month  I  met  for  the  last  time  my  mother,  brother  and  sis- 
ters at  our  own  little  home,  but  now  they  all  are  scattered,  and  that 
home  is  ours  no  longer.  I  almost  feel  as  if  I  ought  to  have  been  there 
with  you  and  claimed  a  place,  for  you  all  seem  like  my  own  folks. 

Where  is  Ceylon  ?  Am  I  never  to  hear  from  him  again  ?  I  hope 
the  dear  old friend 'has  not  become  absorbed  in  the  merchant.  But  I  sup- 
pose time  changes  feelings,  as  it  does  occupations.  Still,  I  do  hope  he 
has  not  quite  forgotten  me. 

My  health  is  very  good  now,  and  I  am  doing  first  rate  in  my 
studies.  I  have  got  fully  afloat  in  the  literary  department.  Two 
weeks  ago  I  delivered  an  oration  on  "Chivalry,"  and  when  the  meet- 
ing was  dismissed  several  Seniors  came  to  me  and  wanted  me  to  speak 
on  their  side  of  the  debate  for  the  next  week.  So  I  did,  and  was  not 
altogether  sorry. 

I  have  never  had  so  good  an  opportunity  to  improve  in  speaking 
as  now,  and  I  mean  to  labor  a  good  deal  in  that  direction,  and  do  what 
I  can.  The  library  furnishes  information  on  almost  every  subject,  and 
a  person  can  prepare  himself. 

I  am  pleased  with  your  proposed  arrangement,  and  hope  it  may  be- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  \Jl 

effected  according  to  your  wishes.  The  West,  broad,  liberal  and  free, 
is  the  place,  I  am  sure,  for  an  indigent  young  man  to  "  rise  and  shine." 
I  feel  somewhat  the  restraint  of  New  England  conservatism.  But  still, 
it  will  be  beneficial  to  me  in  some  respects,  though  I  long  to  breathe 
the  free  air  of  the  wild  West ;  and  if  my  life  is  spared,  I  will  some  day 
feel  the  lakes  beneath  me  that  wash  the  forest  ground. 

I  see  no  reason  why  you  can  not  do  as  well  in  Grand  Rapids  as  in 
Cincinnati;  and  certainly  it  will  be  easier  starting  there  than  in  the 
crowded  and  bustling  Queen  City. 

May  no  chilling  winds  blast  your  fair  prospects,  and  no 
cloud  ever  darken  your  bright  sky.  True,  there  was  a  time  when 
I  hoped  you  might  be  with  me  till  we  should  both  wear  the  Delphic 
Bay  together,  sed  visum  aliter  Deo,  and  our  life  paths  seem  to  have  di- 
verged— yours  to  happiness,  and  mine  to  lonely  labor.  Yet  we  may 
meet  again  this  side  the  Jordan,  to  recall  past  scenes,  and  "  live  them 
o'er  again." 

Next  Saturday,  twenty-three  years  ago,  a  man  child  was  born,  and 
they  called  his  name  J.  A.  G.  Where  will  he  be  when  twenty-three 
more  are  gone  ? 

Give  my  best  love  to  your  father  and  mother  and  Ceylon,  and  let 
me  hear  from  you  soon.  Remember  me  to  Desdemona.  She  seems 
like  a  sister  of  mine. 

As  ever,  I  am  your  brother, 

James. 

Accompanying  this  is  a  catalogue  of  Williams  College. 

"  Ceylon,"  it  will  be  remembered,  was  my  brother, 
who,  with  Mr.  Garfield  and  myself,  made  the  trio  of 
room-mates  at  Hiram  during  the  fall  of  1852.  At  the 
date  of  the  above  letter  he  was  employed  as  a  salesman 
in  the  mercantile  house  of  William  H.  McConnell,  at 
Grand  Rapids.  Mich.  He  subsequently  studied  law, 
and  is  now  Circuit  Judge  of  Mecosta  and  Newaygo 
counties,  in  Michigan. 

"Desdemona"  was  Miss  Desdemona  Harrington, 
who  had  been  one  of  the  students  at  the  Grand  Rapids 
Academy  most  of  the  time  from  1846  to  1850,  and  who 
was   one  of  the   most  talented   ladies  graduated  from 


172 


REMINISCENCES    OF 


that  excellent  school.  Subsequently  she  was  for  seve- 
ral years  one  of  the  most  highly  esteemed  teachers  in 
the  Union  Schools  of  the  same  city.  We  were  always 
very  warm  friends,  and  during  my  absence  from  Grand 
Rapids  we  had  kept  up  a  constant  correspondence. 
Through  this  means  she  had  learned  to  know  and  ad- 
mire Mr.  Garfield  ;  as  my  own  admiration  of  his  great 
abilities,  as  well  as  my  personal  regard,  was  very  fre- 
quently expressed,  not  only  to  her,  but  to  all  my 
friends.  I  had  shown  him 'many  of  the  excellent  letters 
I  had  received  from  her  gifted  pen,  and  at  one  time  a 
correspondence  between  them  had  been  contemplated, 
though  I  am  not  sure  it  was  ever  begun.  I  think  she 
is  still  living  somewhere  in  Northern  Michigan,  though 
I  have  not  seen  her  for  more  than  twenty  years. 

Mr.  Garfield's  letter  was  received  Nov.  16,  and  was 
answered  the  next  day.  The  following  is  his  next 
letter : 

Pownal,  Vt.,  Dec.  14,  1854. 

My  Dear  Corydon :  —The  last  ten  days  have  been  such  hurried 
ones  that  I  have  delayed  all  my  letters,  and  now  that  I  have  more 
time  I  will  answer  them,  and  first  of  all,  yours. 

I  came  to  this  place  by  invitation,  to  deliver  a  lecture  before  an 
Academy  here,  and  that  being  over,  the  audience  gone,  and  I  alone, 
I  will  write  to  you.  One  of  my  classmates  has  the  charge  of  the 
Academy,  and  during  the  winter  has  a  course  of  lectures  delivered  on 
literary  and  educational  topics.  The  first  in  the  course  was  by  a  min- 
ister in  this  village,  and  the  third  by  myself.  It  was  at  least  a  novelty 
to  them  to  hear  an  extempore  address.  Tt  has  been  proposed  that  I  get 
up  a  class  in  penmanship  here,  and  I  presume  I  shall  do  so. 

The  college  term  closed  on  the  12th,  and  I  feel  pretty  well  satisfied 
with  my  beginning.  I  have  done  something  in  the  way  of  speaking 
and  writing,  and  begin  to  feel  somewhat  at  home  among  the  college 
boys.  Shortly  after  I  commenced  to  speak  in  debate  there  were  seve- 
ral Seniors  that  manifested  a  great  degree  of  uneasiness,  and  one  espe- 
cially, by  the  name  of  Edwards,  took  occasion  to  get  up  next  after  me 


•JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  1 73 

every  time  I  spoke,  and  try  to  make  out  something  cunning  against 
what  I  said.  His  desire  to  hit  me  off  became  so  manifest  that  several 
of  my  class  mentioned  it,  and  said  he  ought  to  be  put  through  a 
course.  A  few  evenings  since  I  was  appointed  to  write  a  censor,  and 
by  virtue  of  office,  you  know,  I  was  allowed  to  say  what  I  pleased.  I 
wrote  about  thirty  stanzas,  and  devoted  five  of  them  to  Edwards'  par- 
ticular case,  the  last  of  which  ran  as  follows : 

A  hollow  head  for  hollow  sounds, 

Great  length  of  tongue  for  yelping  hounds, 

A  lusty  calf  to  bawl ; 
A  vaunting  pugilist  to  brag, 
,  A  grinning  monkey  for  a  wag, 

But  Edwards  for  them  all. 

The  effect  was  salutary,  and  the  tide  seems  to  have  turned.     He  is 

an  enlarged  edition  of  our  friend  Harnit.      I  am  sorry  to  say  that  

does  not  succeed  so  well  as  I  hoped  he  would.  The  students  think  that 
he  appreciates  his  own  abilities  rather  highly ;  and  nothing  uses  a  man 
so  completely  up  as  this.  I  hope,  however,  that  he  may  have  fairer 
sailing  in  the  future.  The  world  is  a  hard  schoolmaster,  and  teaches 
us  some  hard  lessons  sometimes. 

I  expect  to  spend  the  vacation  in  teaching  penmanship,  and  have 
already  several  invitations  to  go  to  teach.  I  do  n't  know  how  I  shall 
succeed.  I  want  to  hear  from  you,  and  know  how  you  are  prospering. 
I  shall  have  more  time  for  the  next  two  months,  and  can  write  a  great 
many  letters. 

I  wrote  to  Ceylon  a  few  days  ago.  He  has  doubtless  received  it 
before  now. 

I  hope  our  brethren  may  build  up  a  congregation  in  your  place, 
and  also  where  Thomas  is. 

Give  my  best  love  to  your  folks.  Why  won't  your  mother  write 
a  word  to  me  sometime  ?  I  should  be  very  glad  if  she  would.  Direct 
as  before,  to  Williamstown,  and  accept  the  constant  love  of  your 
brother,  James. 

As  has  been  stated,  I  arrived  at  the  home  of  my 
parents,  in  Grand  Rapids,  Nov.  2,  1854,  and  had  de- 
cided to  remain  in  that  city  for  a  time,  hoping  to  ob- 
tain suitable  employment.  Subsequently  it  was  ar- 
ranged that  Miss  Watson  and  I  should  be  married  on 
the  1st  of  January,   1855,  anc*  accordingly  I  left  home 


174 


REMINISCENCES    OF 


for  Butler,  December  29,  1854,  via  Kalamazoo,  De- 
troit, Suspension  Bridge  and  Rochester.  The  railroad 
through  Canada,  from  Windsor  to  Suspension  Bridge, 
had  been  only  recently  completed,  while  the  railroad 
track  was  not  yet  laid  across  the  bridge.  At  2  o'clock 
p.  m.,  on  the  27th,  we  crossed  in  an  omnibus,  and  I 
continued  my  journey  as  far  as  Rochester,  where  I 
spent  the  night,  reaching  my  destination  the  next  day. 

The  events  of  the  next  few  days  were  of  more 
interest  to  ourselves  than  to  the  reader,  and  let  it  suf- 
fice to  say  that  on  Monday,  January  1,  1855,  Elder  J. 
I.  Lowell,  of  South  Butler,  performed  the  ceremony 
which  united  Miss  Mary  P.  Watson  and  myself  in  the 
bonds  of  matrimony. 

We  remained  at  Butler  a  week,  and  then  started  for 
my  home  in  Michigan,  spending  one  day  at  Niagara 
Falls  and  a  couple  of  days  at  Galesburg,  Mich. ,  where 
Mrs.  Fuller  had  friends,  and  reaching  Grand  Rapids 
Saturday  evening,  January  13.  Such  personal  details 
seemed  necessary,  as  many  of  Mr.  Garfield's  subse- 
quent letters  were  written  to  Mrs.  Fuller  and  myself 
jointly,  or  partly  to  each  of  us. 

Two  weeks  after  our  arrival  in  Grand  Rapids,  I  was 
offered  employment  as  Assistant  Principal  in  the  Union 
School,  for  the  remainder  of  the  term.  Classes  were 
assigned  to  me  in  Algebra,  Arithmetic,  Book-keeping, 
Natural  Philosophy,  Astronomy,  Rhetoric  and  Spell- 
ing, giving  me  sufficient  work,  especially  as  I  had 
never  devoted  an  hour's  attention  to  book-keeping,  and 
was  obliged  to  keep  in  advance  of  my  class,  and  teach 
them  the  mystery  of  double-entry. 

It  will  be  noted  that  my  last  letter  from  Mr.  Gar- 
field left  him  teaching  or  about  to  commence  teaching- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  1 75 

a  class  in  penmanship,  at  Pownal,  Vermont.'  The  next 
letter  from  him  was  the  following : 

No.  12  South  College,      "> 
Thursday,  Feb.  15,  1855.  } 

My  Dear  Corydon : — Last  Monday  evening  I  returned  to  college, 
and  found  twenty  unanswered  letters  which  are  now  lying  before  me. 
Among  them  are  two  from  you,  Dec.  25  and  Jan.  23,  and  one  from 
Ceylon,  of  Dec.  15. 

I  have  been  traveling  a  good  share  of  the  time.  I  will  give  you  a 
short  sketch  of  my  history.  I  believe  I  wrote  to  you  while  I  was  in 
Pownal,  Vt.  I  closed  theie  and  visited  a  little  while  in  Western  Massa- 
chusetts, and  after  traveling  through  the  southwestern  corner  of  Ver- 
mont and  into  New  York,  I  started  a  class  in  Poestenkill,  Rensselaer 
Co.,  N.  Y.,  where  our  brother  Streator  is  located  among  a  little  con- 
gregation of  Disciples. 

After  closing  the  school,  I  expected  to  return  to  college  to  begin 
study,  and  so  my  letters  did  not  come  to  me.  But  when  my  school 
closed,  Bro.  Streator  commenced  a  series  of  meetings,  and  insisted  on 
my  staying  with  him  a  week.  I  did  so,  and  by  the  close  of  the  week 
the  burden  of  the  meeting  had  nearly  all  fallen  on  me,  and  a  deep  in- 
terest was  awakened.  They  would  not  consent  to  let  me  go,  and  so  I 
remained  another  week.  During  my  stay  I  spoke  fifteen  discourses, 
and  visited  with  all  the  brethren  in  the  neighborhood.  There  were 
several  immersions,  and  I  think  much  good  done.  Nothing  else  could 
have  kept  me  away  from  college,  but  I  am  glad  I  stayed.  I  think  I  can 
•make  it  up  in  a  short  time. 

Since  the  last  term  closed  I  have  earned  eighty  dollars— cleared 
sixty-five.     That  will  help  some. 

Well,  I  am  rejoiced  to  know  that  you  and  Mary  (who  now  seems 
doubly  dear  to  me)  are  happily  joined  by  the  holiest  ties.  The  bright, 
romantic  vision  has  at  last  become  a  reality.  Permit  me  to  rejoice  with 
you  both,  and  may  heaven  grant  that  your  sky  may  be  as  cloudless  as 
this  chilly  world  will  permit.  I  trust  ere  this  you  have  reared  the 
family  altar,  and  are  burning  your  morning  and  evening  incense 
thereon. 

How  I  should  love  to  sit  down  and  enjoy  this  stormy  evening  with 

you.     Oh, 

"  "Tis  cold  without,  the  winds  are  up, 
The  snowflakes  with  their  spotless  lips 
Now  fondly  kiss  the  window  pane, 


!^6  REMINISCENCES    OF 

And  as  they  ask  me  let  them  in, 

The  cold  winds  call  them  back  again." 

But  doubtless  you   can  say  to-night,  surrounded  by  all  the  home 

joys: 

"  Sweep  on,  ye  storms ;  ye  snowflakes  fall ; 
Sounds  soft  and  sweet  float  from  above 
Like  zephyrs  fiom  ^Eolian  strings, 
Like  raptures  from  the  lips  of  love." 

But  hundreds  of  weary  miles  intervene,  and  I  must  be  content. 
May  I  not  soon  receive  a  full  letter  from  you  and  Mary?  It  will  do  me 
much  good. 

My  love  to  you  and  yours  forever.  James. 

You  must  pardon  this  hasty  scrawl.  I  have  so  many  to  write  just 
now.  JAMES- 

I  do  not  know  whether  any  notes  of  his  religious 
discourses  will  be  found  among  Mr.  Garfield's  papers, 
when  they  come  to  be  carefully  examined  by  his  biog- 
raphers. I  was  not  a  little  disappointed  when  Prof. 
Hinsdale,  himself  a  preacher  of  high  standing,  made 
so  little  mention  of  Mr.  Garfield's  work  among  the 
churches.  To  me  there  is  not  the  slightest  doubt  that 
for  two  or  three  years,  at  least,  Mr.  Garfield  fully  ex- 
pected to  devote  his  splendid  talents  to  the  work  of 
preaching  the  gospel. 

If  the  fifteen  regular  discourses  delivered  at  Poes- 
tenkill,  at  the  meeting  of  which  he  speaks,  could  be 
reproduced,  or  even  if  the  notes  of  the  same  could  be 
given  to  the  public,  I  believe  there  would  be  shown 
one  of  .the  most  masterly  and  logical  presentations  of 
the  first  principles  of  Christianity  which  the  world  has 
ever  seen.  His  comprehension  of  true  principles  was 
so  intuitive,  and  his  rejection  of  unreasonable  and  un- 
tenable tenets  so  bold  and  fearless,  that  he  could 
not  fail  to  present  the  living  and  burning  principle  of 
the  Christian  faith  so  lucidly  and  so   earnestly  as    to 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  IJJ 

carry  conviction  to  his  hearers.  I  still  have  hopes 
that  among  the  many  manuscripts  preserved  at  his 
home  in  Mentor  there  will  be  found  many  outlines  of 
his  sermons  and  religious  discourses. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

"NEBRASKA." LETTERS    FROM    MR.    GARFIELD    AND    MISS 

BOOTH. 

I  think  it  was  some  time  in  January,  1855,  that  Mr. 
Garfield  sent  me  a  copy  of  a  poem  of  forty  pages, 
then  recently  issued  from  the  press  of  John  P.  Jewett 
&  Co.,  of  Boston,  entitled,  "Nebraska;  A  Poem, 
Personal  and  Political."  It  was  published  anonym- 
ously, and  I  have  never  learned  the  name  of  the 
author.  As  illustrative  of  the  growing  anti-slavery 
spirit  of  the  time,  as  well  as  almost  prophetic  of  the 
certain  effect  of  the  measures  so  popular  among  the 
politicians  of  the  day,  the  poem  has  few  rivals.  It  also 
shows  the  interest  which  Mr.  Garfield  felt  at  that  time 
in  the  mighty  question  which  no  shuffling  or  cowardly 
compromises  could  possibly  settle.  We  were  both  so 
thoroughly  satisfied  that  slavery  was  the  "sum  of  all 
villanies  "  that  I  don't  suppose  the  thought  ever  oc- 
curred to  either  of  us  that  its  character  was  even  de- 
batable. It  does  not  follow  that  we  thought  all  slave- 
holders criminal ;  we  realized  their  difficulties  as  well  as 
their  temptations,  and  were  not  at  all  certain  that  in- 
stant emancipation  was  practicable  or  possible.  But 
upon  the  question  of  spreading  the  baneful,  blasting 
curse  over  free  territory,  we  had  no  more  doubts  as  to 

the  duty  of  the  Nation  than  we  should  have  had  over 

i7s 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  \Jq 

the  question  of  sowing  the  deadly  seeds  of  some  noi- 
some pestilence  in  our  cities. 

I  think  the  reader  will  be    interested   in   some  ex- 
tracts from  the  poem  itself: 


Now  let  us  climb  Nebraska's  loftiest -mount, 

And  from  its  summit  view  the  scenes  below. 

The  morn  comes  like  an  angel  down  from  heaven ; 

Its  radiant  face  is  the  unclouded  sun  ; 

Its  outspread  wings  the  overarching  sky; 

Its  voice  the  charming  minstrels  of  the  air; 

Its  breath  the  fragrance  of  the  bright  wild  flowers. 

O  blessed  day !   rich  gift  of  God  to  man  ; 

Brimful  of  beauty  to  delight  the  eye, 

And  thrilling  music  to  enchant  the  ear  : 

It  lights  me  to  the  unreturning  past — 

A  dreary  waste  where  other  days  have  fled 

With  the  dear  souls  they  pioneered  to  heaven. 

The  past  is  night,  in  which  these  souls  are  stars! 

Yonder  behold  the  monarchs  of  the  wood ; 
For  ages  they  have  battled  with  the  storm. 
The  envious  clouds  have  pelted  them  with  hail, 
The  lightning  pierced  them  with  its  quivering  lance, 
And  the  fierce  whirlwind  wrenched  them  in  its  wrath. 

As  mortals,  chastened  by  affliction's  rod, 

Grow  firmer  and  grow  faster  in  the  faith, 

So  these  tall  Titans  of  the  forest  glade 

Are  stronger  for  their  struggle  with  the  storm. 

When  at  their  feet  their  predecessors  fell, 

Spring  covered  their  remains  with  mourning  moss 

And  wrote  their  epitaph  in  pale  wood  flowers, 

And  gave  sweet  berries  to  the  gentle  birds 

To  stay  and  sing  their  sad,  sweet  requiem. 

Fair  land  of  silver  streams  and  mountain  green, 
Of  boundless  prairies  and  pellucid  lakes, 
Of  rocks,  and  hills,  and  plains,  and  woodlands  wild, 
Shall  slavery  clank  her  galling  fetters  here  ? 


l80  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Or  Freedom  wave  her  starry  flag  for  aye, 
And  make  these  forests  blossom  like  the  rose, 
And  build  great  cities  on  these  fertile  plains, 
And  launch  her  floating  fabrics  on  the  waves, 
While  streams  are  serfs  to  turn  the  busy  mills 
Which  soon  must  wall  the  waters  of  the  west  ? 

God  heard  the  blood  that  shrieked  to  Heaven  for  help, 

And  held  the  flaming  North  star  in  his  hand, 

And  sent  an  angel  down  to  tell  the  slave 

To  follow  where  the  torch  of  Freedom  led. 

The  negro  from  his  humble  cabin  crept 

While  echo  slumbered  and  the  dogs  were  dumb; 

The  North  star  crowned  the  lofty  hills  he  climbed, 

And  watched  his  weary  footsteps  o'er  the  plain. 

The  panting  fugitive  had  reached  the  shores 
Of  a  free  State,  and  dreamed  that  he  was  free. 
But  he,  alas !  was  seized  by  human  hands, 
And,  like  a  felon,  dragged  before  the  judge, 
Charged  with  the  crime  of  seeking  liberty, 
Unpardonable  sin  in  this  free  land  ! 

The  above  extracts  will  give  but  a  slight  idea  of  the 
whole  poem,  as  I  have  said  of  forty  pages,  all  bristling 
with  poetic  imagery,  and  every  line  overflowing  with 
sympathy  for  the  enslaved,  and  unutterable  scorn  for 
the  God-forsaken  demagogues,  who  sought  "to  sell 
their  country  as  they  sold  their  countrymen."  Not  a 
few  of  the  leading  politicians  of  the  day  were  so  ac- 
curately described  that  there  was  no  possibility  for 
those  who  were  intelligent  in  current  history  to  mistake 
them.  In  the  light  of  the  thirty  eventful  years  since 
the  poem  was  written,  one  can  not  but  wonder  at  the 
infatuation  of  men  of  brilliant  mind  and  great  experi- 
ence, who  cast  their  lot  with  the  mad  defenders  of  the 
abominable  system  of  American  slavery. 

The   letter  of   Mr.    Garfield  dated  Feb.    15,    1855, 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  l8l 

given  in  the  last  chapter,  was  answered  by  Mrs.  Fuller 
and  myself  a  week  later,  and  in  due  time  received  the 
following  dual  response : 

No.  12  South  College,  Williams,  "i 
Tuesday,  March  13,  1855.      / 

Dear  Corydon  : — Your  very  kind  and  acceptable  letter  of  the  23d 
ultimo  was  received  about  two  weeks  since,  and  I  am  improving  my 
first  possible  opportunity  to  respond.  When  I  returned  to  college 
there  was  the  accumulated  labor  of  three  weeks  to  be  brought  up  and 
over  twenty  letters  to  be  answered ;  and  so  till  this  time  I  have  used 
the  days  and  a  large  share  of  the  nights  in  getting  my  work  up  even. 
I  am  nearly  free  from  this  drawback  now,  and  can  breathe  a  little 
easier.  I  have,  however,  i.ad  no  trouble  at  all,  and  I  have  never 
stumbled  before  the  professors  since  the  morning  you  were  here. 

Our  work  for  this  term  is  Political  Economy,  Astronomy,  Evi- 
dences of  Christianity  arid  Latin.  We  have  had  beautiful  spring 
weather  all  this  month,  till  within  a  few  days;  but  it  is  now  evident 
that  Capt.  March  is  determined  to  show  a  cold  shoulder  for  a  time. 
But  next  month  Williams  will  begin  to  put  on  its  green  glories.  My 
health  is  now  first-rate,  and  I  have  strong  hopes  that  I  shall  recover 
the  full  use  of  my  throat  before  my  course  is  done  here. 

You  speak  of  proposing  my  name  as  a  member  of  your  "  Scientific 
Association."  You  may  do  as  seems  best  to  you,  in  reference  to  it.  I 
should  be  glad  to  be  one  among  you,  if  I  could  do  you  any  good. 

I  hope  you  will  be  exceedingly  careful  of  your  health,  for  you  now 
have  a  reason  doubly  strong  why  you  should  do  so.  May  you. and 
Mary  be  long  blessed  with  life  and  health.  I  rejoice  with  you  in  your 
consummated  happiness,  and  hope  the  bright  links  of  love's  chains  may 
never  be  broken. 

My  love  to  your  father,  mother  and  Ceylon.  I  wish  they  would  all 
write  to  me.     Let  me  hear  from  you  soon.  James. 

Almeda  is  now  in  Oberlin.     Charles  is  well. 

My  Dear  Sister  Mary : — Many  thanks  to  you  for  your  kind  letter  to 
me,  and  your  kind  wishes  on  my  behalf.  Under  how  different  relations 
are  you  now  placed  than  when  a  few  months  ago  I  wrote  a  letter  to 
"Little  Mary  Watson"  of  Butler!  You  lived  then  as  it  were  in  Mar- 
vel's "  Drearn  Life."  but  now  I  suppose  cloud  land  has  become  a  conti- 
nent of  firm  realities,  glorious  and  joyful ;  and  still  doubtless  the  hori- 
zon of  your  future  has  clouds  of  glory  and  joy  piled  up  against   its 


l82  REMINISCENCES    OF 

purple  and  golden  sky.  I  trust  this  is  so.  True,  as  you  say,  there  may 
be  among  them  clouds  of  threatening  portent  from  which  the  cold 
night  winds  may  blow,  "  chilling  and  killing  "  the  noble  and  true ;  but 
you  will  remember  that  He  rules  the  storms  "  who  maketh  the 
clouds  His  chariots  and  rides  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind."  May 
Heaven  long  lend  your  noble  Corydon  to  you  and  you  to  him. 

I  have  told  you,  I  believe,  in  a  former  letter,  of  our  Brother 
Streator.  Since  I  returned  from  Poestenkdl  several  have  united  with 
the  congregation  there.  While  1  was  there  I  formed  many  pleasant  ac- 
quaintances, and  among  others  that  of  a  Sister  Learned,  who  had  a 
sweet  little  girl  about  five  years  old.  She  was  the  most  precocious 
child  I  ever  saw,  and  of  sweet  temper.  She  became  very  much  at- 
tached to  Bro.  Streator  and  me,  and  when  I  came  away,  kissed  me  and 
said,  "  I  shall  never  see  him  again."  Brother  Streator  and  I  used  to 
sing  to  her,  and  she  was  fond  of  hearing  hymns.  Last  week  Bro. 
Streator  wrote  me  that  she  was  dead.  A  few  hours  before  her  death 
she  wanted  Bro.  Streator  to  come  and  sing, 

"  There  are  no  tears  above." 

He  was  then  five  miles  away.  They  sent  for  him,  and  when  he 
came  she  was  almost  gone.  But  she  opened  her  dying  eyes  and  whis- 
pered, •«  Sing 

'  There  's  no  weeping  there.'  " 

He  did  so,  and  she  went  away  to  sing  with  the  angels. 

Bro.  Streator  says  in  his  letter:  "I  felt  that  it  was  the  highest 
honor  ever  bestowed  on  me,  to  be  called  by  so  lovely  a  creature  to  sing 
of  heaven  when  she  was  so  near  it." 

This  may  not  be  interesting  to  you,  because  you  did  not  know  her, 
but  I  can  never  forget  the  impressions  on  my  heart  of  such  a  scene. 

I  would  write  much  more,  but  time  will  not  now  permit.  I  hope 
to  hear  from  you  often,  for  I  need  not  tell  you  that  I  feel  an  abiding  in- 
terest in  your  prospects  and  happiness.  James. 

The  society  alluded  to  by  Mr.  Garfield,  whose 
name  I  had  asked  for  honorary  membership,  was 
"The  Lyceum  of  Natural  History,"  organized  by  a 
number  of  the  leading  citizens  of  Grand  Rapids, 
prominent  among  whom  were  Prof.  Franklin  Everett, 
my  old  teacher,  W.  L.  Coffinberry,  Dr.  J.  H.  Holjis- 
ter,  Hon.  John  Ball  and  others.      I  presented  his  name 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  1 83 

and  he  became  a  member,  and  I  think  contributed  one 
or  more  articles  to  be  read  at  its  meetings.  He  alludes 
to  the  letter  announcing  his  election  in  a  subsequent 
letter. 

The  frequent  cautions  to  take  the  greatest  possible 
care  of  my  health,  contained  not  only  in  the  letters  of 
Mr.  Garfield,  but  those  from  other  friends,  were  based 
upon  the  supposition,  at  that  time  universal  among  my 
acquaintances,  that  I  was  in  great  danger  of  fatal  dis- 
ease of  the  lungs.  I  was  slight  in  form  and  pale,  and 
had  no  great  amount  of  physical  strength,  but  I  was 
conscious  of  possessing  much  greater  powers  of  endur- 
ance than  were  credited  to  me  by  my  friends.  A  busy 
life  of  no  little  labor,  through  more  than  thirty  years, 
has  shown  that  I  was  not  altogether  wrong,  and  that  the 
sympathy  bestowed  upon  Mrs.  Fuller  when  we  were 
married,  on  account  of  the  alleged  certainty  that  with- 
in a  few  months  she  would  return  a  widow  to  her  old 
home,  was  a  little  premature.  Most  of  the  sympathi- 
sers have  been  long  in  their  graves. 

It  seems  to  me  that  the  touching  incident  of  the 
death  of  .the  little  child,  as  related  by  Mr.  Garfield  in 
his  letter  gives  one  a  glimpse  into  the  tenderness  of 
his  great  heart,  as  well  as  reveals  one  of  the  sources  of 
his  wonderful  power  over  his  fellow  men.  While  he 
was  as  brave  as  Julius  Caesar,  as  tenacious  of  honor 
and  right  as  Abraham  Lincoln,  as  indignant  at  oppres- 
sion and  as  ready  to  champion  the  cause  of  the  poor 
and  the  friendless  as  Wendell  Phillips  or  William  Lloyd 
Garrison,  his  heart  was  as  loving  and  tender  as  that  of 
an  innocent  child. 

I  think  I  can  forgive  cheerfully  almost  any  personal 
wrong,  but   to   me  the  unpardonable  sin   is  the  cruel, 


1 84  REMINISCENCES    OF 

malignant  and  fiendish  malice  displayed  by  the  ghouls, 

who,   after  their  bravest  and  most   honorable  brother 

has  struck  down  to  death  the  victim  of  their  merciless 

hate,  hurl  their  missiles  at  him  as  he  lies  in  his  grave. 

These  cowarly  miscreants  who   slander  and  vilify  the 

dead,  to  me  are  so   infamous  and  so  unworthy  of  the 

countenance  of  honorable  men,  that  beside  them  the 

vilest  thief  becomes  respectable. 

The  following  letter  reached  us  at  Grand  Rapids, 

early  in  April  : 

No.  12  South  College,  "l 
April  I,  1855.       J 

Dear  Corydon  and  Mary: — Your  kind  letter  of  March  25  was  re- 
ceived last  evening,  and  I  will  enclose  a  brief  response  in  your 
mother's  letter.  I  am  very  glad  you  are  so  kind  as  to  write  punctually 
to  me,  for  it  does  me  much  good  to  hear  from  you.  We  have  had  a 
terrible  March,  especially  the  latter  half  of  it,  and  now  while  I  write, 
the  wind  howls  like  a  troop  of  demons.  Doubtless  you  are  cozily  sit- 
ting side  by  side,  holding  sweet  converse,  or  reading  some  treatise  in 
which  you  enjoy  the  soul  communion  between  author  and  reader.  How 
many  fierce  blasts  are  howling  between  us  ?  And  yet,  through  this 
long,  weary  space,  the  spirit  can  commune  unseen,  and  feel  somewhat, 
ihe  pleasures  of  intercourse  of  souls. 

Oh,  I  wish  you  both  could  go  with  me  some  of  these  clear,  bright 
nights  and  look  at  the  moon  and  stars  through  our  ponderous  teles- 
cope !  How  it  lifts  the  soul  away  from  earth  to  contemplate  the  won- 
ders of  the  heavens !  Your  question  concerning  the  moon  and  planets 
is  one  of  deep  and  thrilling  interest.  Mathematics  prove  that  the 
moon  has  an  atmosphere  so  light  that  beings  organized  as  man  is,  could 
not  exist  there ;  but  with  many  of  the  planets  this  is  not  the  case,  and 
though  there  is  no  sure  evidence,  I  love  to  believe  the  planets  are  in- 
habited. Indeed  it  can  hardly  be  supposed  that  the  vast  machinery  of 
the  universe  was  all  set  in  motion  and  no  orders  of  intelligences  to  in- 
habit it  save  man ;  and  he  only  the  smallest  grain  of  sand  on  God's 
seashore.  There  is  a  work  entitled  "  Plurality  of  Worlds,"  by  Whew- 
ell,  that  treats  on  this  subject,  and  you  would  find  it  intensely  inter- 
esting to  read  it. 

But  the  hour  of  midnight  will  be  here  in  five  minutes  and  I  must 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  l8$ 

'dose.     Please   let   me  hear  from  you  both  as  soon  as  convenient,  and 
remember  me  ever  as  your  affectionate  brother,  James. 

Mention  has  frequently  been  made  in  the  papers  of 
Miss  Almeda  A.  Booth,  for  many  years  one  of  the 
most  valued  teachers  at  Hiram,  and  who,  for  many 
years,  was  very  intimately  associated  with  Mr.  Garfield 
in  his  studies.  All  of  Mr.  Garfield's  biographers  have 
mentioned  her,  and  the  splendid  tribute  to  her 
memory,  in  his  eloquent  and  touching  memorial  ad- 
dress, is  found  in  full  in  his  "  Works,"  as  compiled  by 
Pres.  Hinsdale.  She  has  been  frequently  mentioned  in 
terms  of  the  highest  respect  and  admiration  in  some  of 
his  letters  already  published,  as  Mr.  Garfield's  high  ap- 
preciation was  no  afterthought,  only  expressed  when 
she  had  passed  away,  but  was  shown  in  every  mention 
of  her  name. 

There  are  very  few  words  from  her  pen  which  the 
public  has  ever  seen,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  some  of 
my  readers  will  be  interested  in  a  letter  or  two  written 
by  her  to  me. 

Miss  Booth  left  Hiram  and  entered  Oberlin  College 
at  the  same  time  Mr.  Garfield  became  a  student  at 
Williams.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  Monkish  supersti- 
tion, which  locks  the  doors  of  the  costliest  and  best 
equipped  colleges  of  New  England  against  all  women, 
no  matter  how  talented,  she  would  have  been  his  class- 
mate still,  and  Ohio  would  have  furnished  two  immor- 
tal graduates  to  the  class  of  1856,  instead  of  one. 

The  following  is  a  letter  I  received  from  her  in 
April,   1855  : 

Oberlin,  April  13,  1855. 
Dear  Friend : — Your  kindly  and  interesting  letter    reached   me  a 
few  days  ago.      I  was  glad  to  hear   from  you  and   learn  of  your  future 


l85  REMINISCENCES    OF 

since  I  saw  you  last,  and  farther,  I  am  so  grateful  that  you  remember 
me  as  a  friend.  Indeed,  James  always  said  that  "  Corydon  was  a  true 
and  fast  friend."  1  believe  I  love  the  friends  I  found  in  Hiram  better 
than  those  I  ever  found  in  any  other  place.  I  like  the  Oberlin  people 
pretty  well,  though  they  have  peculiarities  that  are  not  exactly  agree- 
able to  me.  But  I  think  they  are  honest,  sincere  and  zealous  Christians. 
I  never  saw  in  any  place,  the  standard  of  morals  so  high,  and  I  am 
surprised  to  see  so  large  a  school  carried  on  with  such  perfect  order. 
The  discipline  here  is  most  admirable,  the  course  of  instruction  exten- 
sive and  thorough. 

I  congratulate  you,  Corydon,  in  having  won  your  Mary,  for  she  is 
worth  the  winning,  if  what  I  hear  of  her  is  correct.  James  described 
her  to  me.  I  hope  I  shall  be  so  fortunate  as  sometime  to  make  her  ac- 
quaintance. Now,  I  am  not  sure  but  I  ought  just  to  give  you  a  little 
lecture  upon  your  new  duties,  and  insist  upon  you  being  a  real  good 
husband ;  not  that  I  think  you  especially  need  it,  or  have  any  bad  ten- 
dencies ;  only  a  notion  that  I  have  of  the  sex  in  general,  that  they  are 
not  half  so  self-sacrificing  as  women.  "That's  just  like  an  old  maid," 
you  '11  say.     O,  no,  I  have  great  regard  for  mankind,  I  am  sure. 

I  was  at  Hiram  several  times  during  the  winter.  They  are  doing 
quite  as  well  as  could  be  expected  under  the  circumstances.  The 
drought  last  summer  has  caused  a  great  pressure  which  the  Eclectic 
feels  somewhat.  Mr.  Munnell  is  there,  and  you  know  he  has  some  life. 
Lucretia  wrote  me  the  other  day  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crane  have  gone  to 
Covington,  Ky.,  to  take  charge  of  Walter  Scott's  school. 

When  do  you  think  he  will  get  through  college  ?  Pie  is  still  read- 
ing Csesar  and  in  the  beginning  class  in  Greek.  Lucretia  is  teaching 
some  and  studying  some,  but  she  seems  rather  dispirited  with  her  pro- 
gress. Lucretia  is  a  good  girl,  and  I  hope  good  fortune  will  attend 
her.  John  Harnit  and  Ellen  Wood  are  married  ;  also  Philip  Burns  and 
Nancy  Mcllrath.  Harvey  Everest  is  teaching  an  academy  in  Shaleis- 
ville  and  is  very  popular.  He  is  a  noble  fellow.  Perhaps  you  know 
that  Eliza  Merrill,  of  Chardon,  is  teaching  in  Hiram.  I  suppose  you 
know  her ;  she  gives  fine  satisfaction,  and  I  think  it  will  be  for  their  in- 
terest to  keep  her. 

I  can  not  see  very  clearly  what  fate  has  in  store  for  the  Eclectic, 
but  surely  it  will  be  a  great  oversight  to  allow  it  to  remain  in  its  pres- 
ent position.  I  have  a  great  desire  to  go  somewhere  to  the  western 
country  to  teach,  when  I  get  through  here ;  but  perhaps  I  shall  not  go 
immediately.  I  have  not  consulted  probabilities,  nor  hardly  possibili- 
ties, but  I  am  bent  on  graduating  next  Commencement.      I  am  doing 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  187 

full  two  years'  work  in  one,  but  if  my  health  holds  out,  I  shall  get 
through.  I  have  reviewed  over  two  hundred  pages  of  Greek,  Demos- 
thenes and  /Eschines  de  Corona,  and  the  Anabasis,  in  something  less 
than  three  weeks,  for  private  examination,  besides  my  regular  recita- 
tions in  all  the  classes  of  the  Senior  class.  I  must  be  examined  in 
everything  in  the  whole  course,  although  I  am  here  but  one  year.  It  is 
only  three  years  this  spring  since  I  began  to  study  Greek,  and  they 
study  it  here  six.  So  you  will  know  I  have  made  rather  a  daring 
attempt. 

I  hear  from  James  very  often  ;  he  seems  to  be  doing  well.  I  feel 
great  desire  that  he  should  make  the  man  he  ought  to  be,  and  can  be, 
if  he  pursues  the  right  course.  The  life  you  propose  for  yourself  this 
spring  will  be  very  pleasant,  I  think.  How  I  should  love,  these 
genial  sunny  days,  to  hoe  in  the  garden,  make  beds  and  plant  seeds. 
But,  indeed,  you  must  take  care  of  your  health;  you  have  not  a  tithe 
of  the  constitution  that  James  and  I  have,  and  so  you  must  take  the 
more  care. 

I  received  that  paper,  and  am  greatly  obliged.  Please  send  me 
more,  if  it  is  convenient.  I  was  interested  in  the  report -of  your 
school.  There  is  a  goodly  effort  made  in  our  State  in  behalf  of  Union 
Schools,  and  yet  our  district  schools  are  deteriorating  all  the  time. 
Does  your  mother  teach  now  ? 

Now,  Corydon,  I  have  deferred  writing  to  you  for  several  days, 
just  on  purpose  to  find  a  chance  to  write  a  decent,  proper  letter,  but  I 
have  got  into  such  a  habit  of  hurrying,  that  when  I  try  to  do  anything 
deliberately  and  respectably,  it  comes  out  with  just  that  hurried,  crude 
look  that  characterizes  all  I  do.  Still,  if  you  have  "  charity  that  suffers 
long  and  is  kind,"  and  so  can  tolerate  me,  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  have 
you  write  again.  I  send  my  love  to  Mary,  your  father  and  mother,  and 
Ceylon.     I  had  quite  a  visit  with  your  father,  coming  from  Bedford  on 

the  cars,  last  summer. 

Yours,  with  sisterly  regard, 

Almeda  A.  Booth. 
Amaziah  Hull  is  teaching  somewhere  in  Indiana,  and  represents 
himself  as  in  a  very  flourishing  condition.      James  is  coming  home  in 
the  summer. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  among  his  friends, 
there  was  but  one  "James"  in  those  days.  The  "Lu- 
cretia"  whom  Miss  Booth  complimented  as  "a  good 
girl,"  was  Miss  Lucretia  Rudolph. 


i88 


REMINISCENCES    OF 


The  reader  will  note  the  fact  that  the  progress  of 
Miss  Booth  in  her  classical  and  other  studies,  was 
simply  wonderful.  In  fact,  it  was  fully  as  remarkable 
as  that  of  Mr.  Garfield.  In  a  little  more  than  three 
years,  she  accomplished  the  preparatory  and  collegiate 
work  usually  requiring  six  years,  and  for  nearly  the 
whole  time,  taught  from  five  to  seven  classes  in  the  Ec- 
lectic Institute  at  Hiram.  She  graduated  in  1855,  an^ 
subsequently  returned  to  Hiiam,  and  after  teaching 
there  for  a  number  of  years,  as  well  as  at  Cuyahoga 
Falls,  she  died  in  1875. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

MR.    GARFIELD    HOLDS    A    PROTRACTED    MEETING    AT    POES- 

TENKILL. MISHAWAKA. — A  SECOND  LETTER  FROM  MISS 

BOOTH. 

With  me  the  summer  of  1855  seemed  to  drift  slowly 
by.  I  could  find  no  satisfactory  employment,  and  I 
suppose  I  was  not  very  well  fitted  for  such  work  as 
perhaps  I  might  have  obtained.  I  had  plenty  of  leisure 
for  reading  and  writing,  and  busied  myself  part  of  the 
time  in  constructing  all  sorts  of  projects  for  the  future. 
Of  course  Mr.  Garfield's  letters  were  promptly  ans- 
wered, and  in  May  I  received  the  following: 

Albany,  N.  Y.,  May  23,  1855. 

My  Dear  Corydon : — Your  welcome  letter  was  received  a  few  days 
before  the  college  closed,  but  in  the  midst  of  examinations  I  had  no 
hour  of  the  day  or  night  at  leisure.  We  had  the  studies  of  the  whole 
year  to  be  examined  upon,  and  that  at  Williams  is  no  slight  affair.  But 
I  passed  the  ordeal  without   a  scar. 

On  Monday,  April  30,  I  left  for  Southern  Massachusetts,  and 
spent  one  week  traveling  and  visiting,  and  then  went  to  Poestenkill, 
N.  Y.  I  immediately  commenced  a  meeting,  and  have  been  speaking 
ever  since.  I  have  spoken  ten  discourses  since  I  came,  and  six  have 
been  immersed.  Bro.  Streator's  health  is  so  poor  that  he  has  only 
preached  one  discourse  since  I  came.  We  now  have  adjourned  the 
meetings  till  Friday  evening,  when  we  shall  again  commence,  and  con- 
tinue over  Lord's  day ;  and  on  the  Monday  following  I  return  to  col- 
lege, and  Bro.  Streator  starts  for  Ohio. 

My  health  is  not  very  good  now,  but  I  only  need  a  little  rest,  and 
I  shall  be  well  again.      We  have  had  large  audiences  most  of  the  time, 

189 


I90'  REMINISCENCES    OF 

and  it  is  no  easy  task  to  speak  three  long  discourses  in  a  day,  as  I  did 
last  Sunday.     We  are  still  hoping  for  more  conversions. 

I  am  in  the  capital  city  to-day  on  business,  and  am  now  waiting 
for  the  cars.  I  have  been  appointed  one  of  the  editors  of  the  Williams 
Quarterly  the  coming  year,  and  my  business  here  to-day  is  to  find 
what  the  printing  will  cost.  We  have  heretofore  had  it  done  in  Pitts- 
field,  Mass.,  for  $416  a  year,  and  we  now  talk  of  getting  it  up  on  bet- 
ter paper  and  in  better  style  than  did  our  predecessors.  I  would  you 
were  also  one  of  the  board. 

I  have  been  appointed  to  deliver  a  poem  before  the  Adelphic 
Union,  next  July,  and  I  would  like  to  have  you  suggest  some  themes 
for  that  occasion.     I  should  like  very  much  to  see  you  now. 

I  received  a  letter  from  Almeda  a  few  days  ago,  and  she  spoke  in 
high  terms  of  a  letter  she  had  just  received  from  you.  I  hope  you  will 
still  favor  her  with  letters.  She  is  one  of  Nature's  true  noblewomen. 
She  is  going  back  to  Hiram  next  fall. 

I  expect  to  be  in  Ohio  by  the  20th  of  August,  if  my  life  and 
health  are  spared,  and  I  have  some  hopes  of  meeting  brother  Thomas 
there.     You  will  probably  see  him  before  he  goes. 

Now,  Corydon,  let  me  hear  from  you  soon,  and  tell  me  all  about 
your  health,  and  what  you  are  doing  and  enjoying.  My  best  love  to 
Mary  and  your  folks,  and  you  know  I  am,  as  ever, 

Your  own  brother, 

James. 

The  cars  are  whistling,  and  I  have  no  time  to  read  this  over. 

J- 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Thomas  Garfield,  the 
only  brother  of  James,  at  this  time  lived  and  ever 
since  has  lived  on  a  farm  a  few  miles  south  of  Grand 
Rapids.  I  had  visited  him  at  his  home  and  had  fre- 
quently seen  him  in  the  city. 

Of  course  no  great  length  of  time  elapsed  before 
an  answer  was  dispatched  to  my  distant  friend,  and  in 
due  course  I  received  the  following : 

Williams  College,  Mass.,  *> 
.Tuesday,  June  19,  1855.      J 
My  dear  Corydon : — Your  favor  of  the  4th  inst.  was  received  about 
ten   days  ago,  but    I   have    been  entirely   unable   to  answer  it   till   this 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  I9I 

time.  A  day  or  two  after  it  came  I  left  for  Pittstown,  N.  Y.,  to  attend 
a  yearly  meeting  of  Disciples,  where  I  spent  some  four  days,  and  last 
Saturday  I  left  again  for  Poestenkill,  and  spoke  to  the  people  Saturday 
evening  and  three  discourses  on  Lord's  day.  Yesterday  morning  at  five 
o'clock  I  started  from  there,  and  at  nine  and  a  half  A.  M.  was  here, 
twenty-one  miles  distant.  We  had  good  meetings  in  each  place,  and 
much  interest.  I  can  not  resist  the  appeals  of  our  brethren  for  aid 
while  I  have  the  strength  to  speak  to  them. 

Bro.  Streator's  health  has  failed  and  he  has  gone  to  Ohio,  and  they 
are  alone.  I  tell  you,  my  dear  brother,  the  cause  in  which  we  are  en- 
gaged must  take  the  world.  It  fills  my  soul  when  I  reflect  upon  the 
light,  joy  and  love  of  the  Ancient  Gospel  and  its  adaptation  to  the 
wants  of  the  human  race.  I  look  upon  old  New  England  as  a  wilder- 
ness of  dead  pines,  where  the  winds  moan  solemnly,  and,  though  they 
play  an  orthodox  tune,  yet  they  can  not  much  longer  keep  time  with 
the  on-rushing  spirit  of  free  thought,  free  speech  and  free  gospel.  Our 
Reformation  is  the  greatest  light  of  the  nineteenth  century:  I  believe 
it.  I  long  to  be  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  and  see  the  army  of  Truth 
charge  home  upon  the  battallions  of  hoary-headed  error.  But  I  must 
be  content  to  be  a  spy  for  a  time,  till  I  have  reconnoitered  the  enemy's 
strongholds,  and  then  I  hope  to  work. 

I  was  glad  to  hear  of  Mary's  improving  health,  and  hope  your 
next  letter  may  tell  of  her  entire  recovery.  I  was  sorry  to  learn  that 
Ceylon  was  sick.  I  presume  he  has  leceived  a  letter  from  me.  I  wrote 
to  him  several  days  before  your  last  was  received. 

I  must  say  I  am  pleased  with  your  proposition  in  reference  to  going 
to  Mishawaka,  for  you  will  then  be  brought  among  our  brethren.  You 
know  how  to  appreciate  that  privilege,  and  so  do  we  all  that  have  been 
deprived  of  it.  I  shall  wait  with  anxiety  an  answer  from  you  to  learn 
still  more  of  your  intentions  for  the  future.  I  hope  you  can  get  where 
you  can  ail  put  your  shoulders  to  the  wheel  and  push  the  Truth  for- 
ward. It  is  the  most  hopeful  feature  in  the  Reformation  that  it  com- 
menced and  is  going  forward  in  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  where  the 
life  currents  of  our  nation  are  bounding  so  briskly.  Ere  many  years 
America's  heart  will  be  filled  with  Primitive  Christianity. 

You  speak  of  the  Williams  Quarterly,  and  very  kindly  offer  to  sub- 
scribe lor  it.  I  would  I  were  able  to  send  you  and  all  your  folks  a  copy 
as  a  present,  but  I  suppose  with  all  our  exertions  it  will  no  more  than 
pay  for  itself;  and  the  last  year  it  has  not  quite  done  that.  However, 
I  will  send  it  to  you  any  way.  t>ur  first  number  will  be  out  about  the 
middle  of  August. 


192 


REMINISCENCES    OF 


If  I  had  time  I  would  give  you  a  sheet  more  on  some  of  my  ex- 
perience and  adventures  in  college,  but  I  must  close  for  this  time. 
Pardon  this  poor  writing,  for  the  noon  of  night  will  soon  be  behind 
me,  and  I  have  yet  work  to  do  before  I  sleep.  My  love  to  Mary,  and 
I  hope  she  will  write  more  in  the  next.  Love  to  Ceylon,  and  your 
father  and  mother.     Now  do  let  me  hear  from  you  both  soon, 

As  ever,  James. 

Mishawaka  is  a  little  manufacturing  village  in  Indi- 
ana, situated  on  a  bend  of  the  St.  Joseph  river,  not  far 
from  where  it  leaves  the  State  of  Michigan  and  enters 
the  Hoosier  State.  It  is  four  miles  east  of  South  Bend, 
the  home  for  most  of  his  life  of  the  late  Vice  President 
Colfax,  and  about  ninety  miles  east  of  Chicago,  on  the 
line  of  the  Lake  Shore  and  Michigan  Southern  Rail- 
road. The  St.  Joseph  is  a  clear,  cold,  spring-fed  river, 
flowing  swiftly  through  a  beautiful  section  of  the 
country,  and  at  Mishawaka  there  is  sufficient  fall  to  af- 
ford an  excellent  water-power.  It  is  more  like  a  New 
England  stream  than  many  Western  rivers,  and  at  vari- 
ous points  along  its  bank  there  are  thrifty  manufactur- 
ing towns.  Thirty  years  ago  Mishawaka  was  far  more 
promising  than  now.  Its  neighbor  on  the  west,  South 
Bend,  had  even  then  begun  to  stretch  out  its  hand  and 
gather  in  the  interests  which  had  been  the  sources  of 
its  prosperity,  as  well  as  its  only  hope  for  the  future. 
There  were  many  pleasant  homes ;  there  were  a  few 
stores — too  many  to  be  prosperous — there  were  the  St. 
Joseph  Iron  Works  and  the  Milburn  Wagon  Factory, 
and  a  few  less  important  manufacturing  establishments. 
There  was  also  a  little  church  of  Disciples,  at  that 
time  stronger  I  think  than  the  church  at  South  Bend. 

It  had  been  ten  years  since  my  father  had  trans- 
planted his  family  from  Northern  Ohio  to  Grand 
Rapids,  and  during  the  time  which  had  elapsed  he  had 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  I93 

gathered  together  about  $10,000.  For  the  latter  por- 
tion of  the  time,  he  had  been  in  the  employ  of  a  suc- 
cessful merchant,  and  like  very  many  other  men  who 
have  never  enjoyed  a  business  training,  he  supposed  he 
was  able  to  manage  business  for  himself.  As  for  my- 
self, of  course,  I  had  no  experience  in  business 
matters,  but  had  no  doubt  of  my  father's  ability  to 
enter  a  mercantile  career  with  every  prospect  of  suc- 
cess. 

It  was  toward  the  moribund  Mishawaka,  the  village 
drying  up  under  the  shadow  of  a  successful  rival,  that 
we  were  to  commence  our  experiment  in  mercantile  life. 
We  were  so  destitute  of  business  judgment  that  we  did 
not  perceive  that  success  would  be  impossible,  and  no 
kind  friend  with  clearer  vision  gave  us  a  word  of  warn- 
ing. It  was  an  experiment  hopeless  from  the  start, 
even  with  experienced  and  skillful  management,  and 
we  undertook  it  without  the  capacity  to  give  it  either. 
My  parents  chose  it  because  of  the  little  church,  where 
they  hoped  to  worship  God  as  they  had  been  instructed 
in  their  youth,  and  out  of  our  removal  grew  a  train  of 
events  which  perhaps  changed  our  whole  after  history. 
It  was  of  our  contemplated  removal  from  the  busy, 
bustling  Grand  Rapids,  glowing  with  life,  and  just  en- 
tering upon  a  proud  career  of  prosperity  and  great- 
ness, that  Mr.  Garfield  spoke  with  warm  approval;  and 
it  will  be  noticed  that  he  bases  his  approval  wholly 
upon  the  fact  of  the  existence  there  of  the  little  church. 
Of  course  he  could  not  be  expected  to  judge  of  the 
business  prospects,  or  of  the  thousand  reasons  which 
should  have  prevented  the  ruinous  removal. 

About  the  1st  of  July,  1 85 5,  I  received  the  follow- 
ing letter  from  Miss  Booth  : 


jg4  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Mantua,  Ohio,  June  24,  1855. 
Dear  Corydon:— Don't  think  I  am  such  a  negligent  creature  as  to 
leave  your  last  welcome  letter  unanswered  until  this  time,  without  some 
overpowering  reason.  I  waked  awhile  after  receiving  your  letter  to 
hear  from  Mr.  Hayden,  and  upon  what  terms  I  was  likely  to  go  back 
to  Hiram  At  length  he  wrote,  but  perhaps  you  know  he  is  not  always 
explicit  and  so  he  happened  to  omit  what  I  chiefly  wished  to  know. 
But  by' that  time  I  was  so  driven  by  studies  that  I  could  find  time  to 
write  to  no  one.  We  were  finishing  up  the  last  Greek  in  the  course, 
and  they  hurried  us  without  mercy.  Now,  I  'm  certain  my  excuse  will 
prevail  with  you,  for  its  length  if  for  nothing  else. 

The  senior  class  are  having  a  few  weeks'  vacation.  O,  such  rains ! 
For  the  last  three  weeks,  nearly  every  day  the  heavens  have  poured 
down  with  the  most  lavish  profusion,  as  if  rain  was  not  at  all  the  scarce 
commodity  it  had  seemed  for  these  long  dry  months  that  preceded.  In 
consequence  of  the  cold,  dry  spring,  fruit  and  crops  are  several  weeks 
behind  the  time,  but  everything  looks  promising  now. 

I  had  a  letter  from  James  last  night.  I  think  he  is  doing  nobly. 
I  have  felt  great  anxiety  lest  something  untoward  might  befall  him,  and 
he  should  fail  of  making  the  man  that  we  know  he  can  be.  But  I  see 
no  indication  of  it  yet.  He  seems  still  to  possess  the  same  frank,  gen- 
erous, warm,  open-hearted  nature  that  endears  him  so  much  to  his 
friends.  He  says  he  is  coming  home  about  the  middle  of  August  to 
stay  several  weeks.  I  wish  you  and  Mary  could  come  down  to  Ohio  at 
the  same  time.  We  should  be  very  glad  to  see  so  many  of  our  friends 
together  once  more. 

There  is  nothing  in  this  strangely  constituted  world  that  I  feel  to 
rebel  against  more  than  the  breaking  up  of  friendly  circles.  We  are 
thrown  together,  reserve  gradually  wears  away,  and  at  length  we  rec- 
ognize kindred  souls  and  rejoice  in  the  genial  warmth  for  a  little  season  ; 
but  soon,  restless  time,  envious  of  such  blissful  scenes,  widely  sunders 
loving  hearts,  and  each  one  goes  forth  into  the  chilly  coldness  of  strange 
hearts  to  live  over  again  the  same  scenes.  It  can  't  be,  Corydon,  that 
there  is  no  brighter  world  than  this. 

I  was  at  Hiram  Thursday,  to  their  exhibition.  It  was  down  in  the 
corner  under  the  apple  trees,  just  as  it  used  to  be  when  you  were  there. 
You  would  hardly  perceive  any  change,  only  in  the  performers.  Sutton 
was  there,  with  the  same  gentle  voice  and  bland  smile  ;  yet  there  are 
more  wrinkles  in  his  face,  and  gray  hairs  are  more  abundant.  And  Bro. 
Munnell  was  there,  looking  as  earnest  and  determined  as  ever  ;  and 
Norman,  too.     Time  deals  kindly  with  him  ;  his  lank  face  has  assumed 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  I95 

fullei  proportions,  and  lie  Looks  more  noble.  But  of  all  that  spoke,  I 
think  you  would  have  recognized  only  one  old  familiar  face — Lucretia, 
bright  as  ever;  she  .remains  just  as  when  you  knew  her.  Oh,  yes,  I 
think  you  knew  Miller.  He  was  on  the  discussion,  "  Do  the  Signs  of 
the  .Times  Indicate  the  Downfall  of  Popery  ?"  His  opponent  was  J. 
II.  Rhodes,  a  Gei man  boy,  from  Stark  county.  He  got  up  with  a  little 
patched  coat  on,  looking  very  humble  ;  but  he  is  tremendous  smart. 
He  rolled  off  a  perfect  torrent  of  eloquence,  and  argument,  too.  Bro. 
Munnell  says  he  will  make  James'  place  good.  Miller  has  finished  his 
studies  now,  and  goes  to  take  charge  of  the  Ravenna  church.  He  has 
a  very  ministerial  look  and  address.  Charley  Foote  was  there.  He  is 
minister  at  Sharon,  Pa.  He  is  as  little  and  boyish  as  ever,  but  I  think 
he  is  a  very  good  fellow. 

It  has  been  a  hard  year  for  the  Eclectic  ;  the  unfavorable  season 
last  summer  bore  heavily  upon  farmers,  and  Ihey  were  unfortunate  in 
their  teachers.  Bro.  Munnell  says  their  prospects  are  better  now.  I 
expect  to  go  there  the  next  day  after  our  Commencement  at  Oberlin.  I 
am  not  going  so  much  from  inclination,  and  I  still  hope  to  go  west  be- 
fore many  year?,  but  it  seems  that  I  ought  to  go  there  now. 

Corydon,  you  will  not  think  I  have  been  negligent  in  answering 
your  letter?  I  have  done  better  than  by  most  of  my  correspondents, 
and  I  shall  really  be  very  glad  to  hear  frbm  you  as  soon  as  convenient. 
My  love  to  Mary  and  all  your  folks.  •    Yours  sincerely, 

Almeda  A.  Booth. 

The  "Miller"  spoken  of  in  the  foregoing  letter, 
was  Elder  O.  P.  Miller,  a  well-known  preacher,  late  of 
Iowa  City,  from  whence  he  removed  to  Dakota  Terri- 
tory, where  he  died  in  1S86.  J.  H  Rhodes,  the  Ger- 
man boy,  whom  Miss  Booth  compliments  so  high- 
ly, is  an  attorney  at  law,  in  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
"Norman"  is  Professor  Norman  Dunshee,  of  Drake 
University,  of  whom  frequent  mention  has  been  made 
in  these  papers.  Charley  Foote  became  a  preacher, 
and  for  many  years  stoutly  maintained  the  faith  he  pro- 
fessed at  Hiram,  but  at  length  left  the  body  of  Dis- 
ciples, and  became  a  Baptist.  He  was  for  some  time 
in  Philadelphia,  but  it  had  been   several  years   since  I 


I96  REMINISCENCES    OF 

last  heard  from  him,  until  I  noticed  the  announcement 
of  his  death,  which  recently  occurred  at  Wooster, 
Ohio.  Of  course  "  Lucretia, "  was  she  whose  name 
has  become  known  throughout  the  world,  as  the  heroic 
and  noble  wife  of  Mr.  Garfield. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

SAM." MR.    GARFIELD    REVISITS    OHIO. 


<<    O  AKI      " 


The  following  is  my  next  letter  from  Mr.  Garfield : 

Williams  College,  Mass.,| 
July  17,  1855.      / 

Dear  Corydon  and  Mary : — I  am  commencing  what  must  be  a  pro- 
vokingly  short  letter,  but  I  must,  and  will  take  time  to  answer  your 
dear,  good  letter  of  the  3d  inst.  You  do  n't  know  how  fresh  and  joyful 
was  the  flood  of  recollection  it  brought  back  over  me  at  the  mention  of 
one  year  ago.  I  have  lived  that  scene  over  and  over  again.  How 
etheral  and  almost  heavenly  were  the  hours  of  those  few  fleeting  days 
we  passed  in  Butler,  N.  Y.  It  brings  feelings  of  inexpressible  sadness 
over  my  spirit  to  know  that  those  scenes  and  days  have  gone  forever, 
and  left  me  alone,  as  it  were.  And  when,  in  four  weeks,  I  am  passing 
Savannah  and  Clyde,  I  shall  feel,  oh !  how  keenly,  that  I  have  nobody 
tc  sec  in  that  region !  But  my  mind  wanders  on  to  the  free,  wild  West, 
and  I  see  you  so  comfortably  and  happily  enjoying  life  there,  that  I  am 
rejoiced  again.     .     .     . 

You  do  not  know  how  much  courage  and  strength  it  gives  me  to 
receive  such  good,  kind  letters  from  you.  They  sweeten  the  lonely 
hours  I  have  to  pass  in  this  weary  land,  as  it  sometimes  is. 

I  am  laboring  very  hard  just  now,  and  am  having  much  more  than 
the  ordinary  college  duties  to  perform.  To-morrow  the  Adelphic  Union 
Exhibition  comes  off,  and  I  must  be  ready.  I  send  you  a  programme 
and  card  of  invitation.  I  do  n't  much  expect  you  will  be  here,  but  I  '11 
try  you  and  see. 

Some  twelve-  examinations  we  are  to  pass  this  term,  covering  the 
studies  of  three  years,  which  gives  us  any  amount  of  work.  You  re- 
member the  'Logian  election,  when  you  were  here.  There  has  been 
great  excitement  among  the  aspirants  for  office  within  the  last  three 
weeks,  and  a  strong  secret  society  coalition  was  formed  to  run  in  their 
own  men  to  the  offices,  and  there  is  always  a  great  strife  for  the  first 
Presidency.     Last  Wednesday  evening,  much  to  the  chagrin  of  that 


I98  REMINISCENCES    OF 

clique,  I  was  elected  to  the  first  Presidency  for  the  coming  year,  by  a 
vote  of  46  to  30. 

I  have  the  main  labor  of  getting  out  the  first  Quarterly,  which  is  to 
be  published  about  the  middle  of  August.  I  send  you  our  circular. 
Perhaps  if  you  would  speak  to  Mr.  James  Ballard,  and  show  him  the 
circular,  he  would  love  his  Alma  Mater  enough  to  subscribe.  Please 
do  so,  for  we  want  to  increase  our  list  all  we  can. 

Your  note  and  Mr.  F.  Everett's  are  received,  and  I  have  just  now 
answered  him.     I  am  grateful  to  you  for  that  appointment.     Is  that 
Everett  your  old  teacher?     Do  let  me  hear  from  you  both  soon.     Give 
my  love  to  Ceylon  and  all  your  folks.     In  much  love  I  am  as  ever, 
Your  brother,  James. 

The  "  Order  of  Exercises,"  of  which  Mr.  Garfield 
speaks,  was  as  follows  : 

ADELPHIC   UNION    EXHIBITION. 

Williams  College. 

Wednesday  Evening,  July   18,  1855. 

MUSIC. 

1.  Oration The  Opera 

James  Orton,  Lisle,  N.  Y. 

2.  Oration Old  Times  and  New 

James  Gilfillan,  Rockville,  Conn. 

3.  Oration Antagonism 

Hamilton  N.  Eldridge,  Williamstown. 
MUSIC. 

4.  Poem Sam 

James  A.  Garfield,  Hiram,  Ohio. 

5.  Dispute Ought  Americans  to  Sympathize  with  England  in  the 

Present  War  ? 
Aff.— B.  Y.  Averell,  Chicago,  111. 
Neg. — Walter  Edwards,  New  York  City. 

MUSIC. 

6.  Oration The  Conflict  of  Ages 

S.  W.  Bowles,  Boston,  Mass. 

7.  Debate Was  the  Banishment  of  Roger  Williams  Justifiable  ? 

Aff.— W.  W.  Adams,  Chicago,  111. 
Neg. — S.  B.  Forbes,  Ashland. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  1 99 

MUSIC. 

8.  Oration Plus  Ultra 

E.  P.  Ingersoll,  Oberlin,  Ohio. 

q.  Poem The  Bondman's  Dream 

L.  C.  Rogers,  New  London,  Conn. 

10.  Oration Rough  It 

D.  J.  Holmes,  Waukegan,  111. 

MUSIC. 

11.  Oration Expression— Its  Relation  to  Thought — With  the 

Valedictory  Address. 

W.  P.  Prentice,  Albany,  N.  Y. 

MUSIC. 

On  the  fourth  page  of  the  programme  is  pencilled : 

You  will  be  surprised  to  see  such  a  title  from  me,  but  there  is  gen- 
erally so  much  Puritanic  sobriety  here,  I  thought  I  would  add  a  little 
nonsense  and  satire.  James. 

The  following  is  Mr.  Garfield's  poem : 

SAM. 

We  sing  no  more  in  lofty  classic  strain, 

Of  gods  and  heroes,  demigods  and  war, 

Nor  soar  above  the  clouds  and  'mong  the  stars, 

Extol  the  grandeur  of  the  rolling  orbs. 

Nor  ride  we  more  upon  the  cloudy  car 

Along  the  threat'ning  heavens  'mid  the  murky  storms, 

Where  the  deep  thunder  rolls  and  lightning  plays ; 

Nor  revel  in  the  fairy  land  of  dreams, 

Where  crystal  rivers  murmuring  roll  along 

O'er  sands  of  gold  and  sparkling  diamond  stones. 

An  earthly  theme  be  ours  to  sing  in  humble  verse, 

The  wonder  of  our  age — Immortal  Sam. 

'T  was  noon  of  night,  and  by  his  flickering  lamp 
That  floated  o'er  his  dingy  room  and  damp, 
With  glassy  eye  and  haggard  face  there  sat 
A  disappointed  worn-out  Democrat. 
His  eloquence  all  wasted — plans  all  failed, 
His  spurious  coin  fast  to  the  counter  nailed. 


200  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Deception's  self  was  now  at  length  deceived  ; 

His  lies  political,  no  more  believed. 

Fair  type  was  he  of  many  Solons  more, 

Whose  bodies  politic  lie  rotting  on  the  shore, 

Needing  one  Free  Soil  gift,  at  least  some  friendly  clay 

To  hide  the  unburied  corpse  from  light  of  day. 

At  length  he  rose  in  haste,  "  I  have  it  now," 

(A  smile  of  joy  lit  up  his  darkened  brow,) 

"  The  people  cast  me  off,  I  '11  raise  a  storm, 

I'll  stir  the  nation  with  the  cry  '  Reform,' 

J  '11  tell  them  treason  floats  on  every  breeze, 

And  danger  whispers  in  the  sighing  trees. 

I  '11  call  them  gallant  heroes,  patriots,  braves, 

Defenders  of  their  homes,  their  fathers'  graves! 

Me,  they  shall  call  the  nation's  savior  then  ; 

Then  gold  and  office  shall  be  mine  again." 

He  gathered  round  him  many  of  his  kind, 

Waste  lumber,  by  all  parties  left  behind. 

They  sat  that  night  in  council,  and  at  morn, 

When  all  the  stars  grew  dim,  then  "  Sam"  was  born. 

Illustrious  son  of  more  illustrious  sires  ! 

How  glowed  within  his  heart  the  patriotic  fires ! 

What  love  he  cherished  for  the  sacred  cause 

Of  the  Dear  People  aud  their  fathers'  laws! 

The  alarm  was  sounded ;  over  hill  and  dale, 

It  flew  upon  the  wings  of  every  gale ; 

The  granite  mountains  heard  it,  and  the  plains 

Of  the  wild  West  caught  the  awakening  strains. 

Freedom  in  peril !  the  great  crisis  comes  ! 

Arouse,  ye  millions  !  beat  the  signal  drums  ! 

Vengeance  upon  the  mercenary  brood 

Of  papal  minions,  pouring  like  a  flood 

Over  fair  Freedom's  land,  the  Freeman's  home ! 

Behold  the  swarming  thousands  as  they  come ! 

From  lip  to  lip,  the  startling  rumor  flies, 

With  ears  erect  and  wide  distended  eyes, 

All  eager  listen  to  the  growing  tale, 

Which  gains  new  terror  from  each  passing  gale. 

The  sturdy  yeoman,  in  Jiis  midnight  dream, 

Saw  the  red  flag  of  war,  the  saber's  gleam. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  201 

Heard  the  loud  death  shriek,  saw  the  assassin's  stroke, 

The  pious  layman  saw  in  visions  dire 

The  Inquisitorial  rack,  the  martyr's  fire. 

Pale  ghosts  went  trooping  up  the  midnight  sky, 

Beck'ning  with  shadowy  hands  to  raise  the  warning  cry. 

The  cry  was  raised,  the  people's  voice  went  forth ; 

From  Sacramento's  sands  to  the  far  North, 

Sam's  army  mustered.     Bold  to  war  they  go, 

To  fight,  how  manfully !   their  phantom  foe. 

And  Massachusetts,  puritanic  State, 

Whose  very  smiles  are  solemn,  was  not  late 

In  sending  forth  the  sons  of  pilgrim  sires 

To  lift  on  high  the  Salem  broom,  and  light  again  the  fires. 

"  War,  to  the  knife,"  they  cry,  "  on  popery! 

No  foreigner  oppressed  shall  hither  flee ; 

Drive  back  the  poor  to  homeless  misery, 

"Who  left  the  tyrant's  land  beyond  the  sea. 

Down  with  the  papal  church  nor  heed  its  loss, 

The  stars  and  stripes  shall  wave'  above  the  cross !" 

The  storm  grew  darker;   like  a  foaming  tide, 

That  drinks  the  mountain  torrent  in  from  either  side. 

So  grew  the  people's  wrath,  which,  with  resistless  force 

Swept  down  all  party  lines  in  its  swift  course, 

And  tossing  on  the  foam-capped  waves  were  seen 

The  struggling  forms  of  what  had  lately  been 

Whigs,  Democrats,  Barnburners,  Silver  Greys, 

Exploded  fragments  of  other  days. 

The  lightest  floated  foremost,  the  least  known 
Rode  into  office,  while  the  old  sank  down. 
And  he,  the  /Eolus,  who  raised  the  storm, 
Our  quondam  Democrat,  sank  down  forlorn, 
With  all  his  motley  crew  ;   there  still  they  sleep, 
And  'mong  their  bones  the  slimy  monsters  creep. 
Sam's  aspirations  grew;  he  longed  to  gain 
Nebraska's  wood  crowned  hight  and  Kansas'  plains, 
The  rolling  prairie,  broad  and  wild  and  free, 
An  ocean  of  sweet  flowers,  a  waving  sea 
Of  verdure  spread ;   from  out  its  hallowed  soil 
He'd  wring  vile  gold,  bought  by  the  bondsman's  toil. 


202  REMINISCENCES    OF 

For  this  foul  end  he  sent  the  summons  forth 

To  all  his  legions  in  the  South  ami  North, 

To  meet  in  solemn  conclave  and  prepare 

Fetters  for  millions  yet  unborn  to  wear. 

Unhappy  Sam !  that  was  his  fatal  day, 

When  'gainst  the  slave  his  power  he  did  array ; 

When  on  the  hands  outstretched,  imploring  aid, 

He  would  have  bound  the  chains  himself  had  made. 

Freemen  then  saw  beneath  his  robe  of  light, 

A  fiend  incarnate  from  the  realms  of  night. 

That  was  the  rock  on  which  the  millions  dashed, 

And  as  a  wave  to  foaming  fury  lashed, 

Thunders  its  rage  against  the  rock-bound  shore, 

Then  roll  away  and  with  a  sullen  roar 

Seeks  its  deep  ocean  waves ;  his  gathered  band 

Poured  murmuring  away  and  on  the  strand, 

Left  him,  in  all  his  vileness  there  to  lie, 

Where  yet  he  gasps,  refusing  still  to  die. 

There  may  be  many  of  the  present  generation  who 
will  need  to  be  informed  that  "  Sam  "  was  understood 
to  be  about  equivalent  to  what  was  then  known  as  the 
"Know  Nothing"  party.  A  full  account  of  the  rise 
and  fall  of  that  remarkable  political  organization  will 
be  found  in  Cooper's  American  Politics.  It  was  a 
secret  society,  and  one  mode  of  recognition  used  by 
the  members,  was  to  ask  one  whom  they  met,  "  Have 
you  seen  Sam?"  If  he  was  not  a  member,  he  would 
ask,  "Sam  who?"  and  the  questioner  could  name 
some  mutual  acquaintance  by  that  name.  Thus  it  be- 
came common,  after  the  secret  work  of  the  society 
became  publicly  known,  to  designate  the  organization 
itself  as  "Sam."  The  name  "  Know  Nothing"  had  a 
similar  origin.  If  a  member  was  questioned  about  the 
society  he  was  instructed  to  answer  "I  don't  know 
nothing  about  it."  Thus  while  the  questioner  supposed 
the  answer  to  involve  a  little  bad  grammar,  but  to  as- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  203 

sert  one's  entire  ignorance,  the  member  was  carefully 
instructed  as  to  the  force  of  double  negatives,  and  that 
he  could,  with  entire  truthfulness,  assert  that  he  "did 
not  know  nothing  about  it."  Thus,  in  time,  the 
whole  organization  became  known  as  the  "  Know 
Nothing  Party."  It  is  probably  well  known  that  the 
fundamental  principle  of  the  party  was  opposition  to 
all  foreigners,  and  especially  to  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  and  the  maintenance  of  the  proposition  that 
Americans,  or  natives  of  the  country,  alone  should 
hold  office.  It  was,  of  course,  short-lived,  but  for  a 
time  exerted  considerable  influence.  The  party  was 
also  known  as  the  American,  or  Native  American, 
Party.  It  will  be  seen  that  Mr.  Garfield  had  no  sym- 
pathy for  the  principles  of  such  a  party. 

The  latter  part  of  August  I  received  the  following 
letter,  while  still  at  Grand  Rapids : 

Solon,  Cuyahoga  Co.,  O.,  ) 
Monday,  Aug.  20,  1855.  / 
I\fy  Dear  Corydon  an  i  Mary : — Your  kind  letter  of  July  31  was  re- 
ceived in  the  middle  of  a  perfect  rush  of  business,  and  this  is  the  first 
moment  I  have  had  to  answer  it.  You  have  doubtless  received  the 
Quarterly  before  this  time,  as  I  sent  it  to  you  one  week  ago  to-day.  I 
must  make  some  apology  for  the  haste  manifested  in  some  of  the  arti- 
cles, for  we  had  but  about  five  weeks  to  get  it  up  in.  I  would  like  to 
have  you  write  a  notice,  review  and  criticism  of  it,  for  the  Eagle,  and 
"send  it  to  me.  Won't  you  do  it?  The  papers  are  noticing  it  all  over 
the  East.  It  has  been  much  improved  in  typographical  appearance 
since  last  year,  and  we  hope  to  improve  it  still  more.  I  read  the  proof- 
sheets  of  the  first  forty-eight  pages  myself,  and  there  are  but  few  typo- 
graphical errors  in  that ;  but  the  last  forty-eight,  which  they  had  not 
time  to  send  to  me,  have  a  few  blunders  in  them.  You  don't  know 
how  many  times  I  have  wished  you  were  with  me  as  one  of  the  quin- 
tette of  editors.  I  had  nine-tenths  of  all  the  labor  of  criticising,  cor- 
recting proof,  keeping  the  books,  and  carrying  on  the  business 
correspondence. 


204  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Our  Commencement  came  off  on  the  15th,  and  they  had  a  good 
time.  Hundreds  of  old  graduates  were  back,  to  behold  again  the 
scenery  around  old  Williams ;  and  old  men,  who  graduated  forly  years 
ago,  were  seen  walking  arm  in  arm  among  the  classic  bowers,  or  in  the 
shade  of  the  granite  mountains. 

When  the  excitement  was  over  I  made  preparation  for  leaving  for 
the  Buckeye  State ;  and  after  twenty-four  hours'  travel,  I  arrived  in 
Cleveland.  Saturday  night  I  reached  Uncle  Boynton's,  and  the  next 
(yesterday)  morning  I  came  here,  where  mother  is.  I  reached  here 
just  as  she  was  starting  for  meeting,  and  I  went  with  her,  and  spoke  in 
the  Disciple  house  at  the  center  of  this  town.  I  go  to-morrow  to 
Hiram,  on  my  way  to  the  yearly  meeting  in  Warren,  where  I  hope  to 
see  many  of  our  dear  brethren  and  sisters.  I  shall  also  attend  the 
meeting  at  Euclid,  and  hope  to  meet  your  father  and  mother  there. 
Would  that  you  and  Mary  and  Ceylon  could  all  be  there. 

I  am  very  grateful  for  your  kind  intentions  and  endeavors  in 
regard  to  the  Quarterly,  and  if  you  could  get  a  few  subscribers,  I 
should  be  very  glad.  I  am  ashamed  to  accept  the  two  dollars  you  so 
generously  sent,  and  were  I  master  of  my  necessities,  I  would  not.  But 
I  am  much  obliged  to  you  for  it.  ^You  perceive  I  have  a  horrible  old 
pen  here,  and  can  not  write  even  as  good  as  I  usually  do.) 

I  have  not  yet  made  any  arrangements  for  money  for  next  year, 
but  I  think  it  will  come  some  way.  I  have  managed  to  live  thus  far, 
and  I  think  I  shall  still  do  so. 

In  going  to  Hiram,  I  shall  hope  to  find  your  sister,  and  form  her 
acquaintance.  I  feel  as  if  she  would  be  my  sister,  just  as  you  have 
always  been  my  own  brother. 

Now,  Corydon,  one  word :  I  want,  for  a  certain  reason,  to  know 
the  exact  day  when  you  must  leave  for  Mishawaka,  and  I  want  you  to 
write  me  immediately  by  return  mail.  But  I  see  it  will  be  necessary  for 
me  to  tell  you  the  reason,  after  all,  or  I  may  fail  of  my  object.  I  have 
written  a  very  urgent  request  to  my  brother  Thomas  to  come  and  visit 
us  in  Ohio.  I  very  much  hope,  and  some  expect,  that  he  will  come. 
But  if  he  does  not  come,  /  shall  go  there.  Now,  I  can  not  bear  the 
thought  of  going  to  Michigan,  and  not  see  you.  Now,  I  want  him  to 
come  here,  for  I  have  not  the  money  to  spare  ;  but  if  he  will  not, 
mother  and  I  will  go  there,  and  stay  about  ten  days.  I  think  that 
William  and  Harriet  Boynton  will  accompany  us.  Now,  please  don't 
tell  Thomas  anything  about  it,  or  he  will  not  come;  and  even  if  we  do 
go,  we  want  to  take  him  by  surprise,  for  he  does  not  expect  us.  If  we 
go,  we  shall  start  the  moment  the  Euclid  meeting  is  out.     I  must  leave 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  205 

for  Massachusetts  as  soon  as  the  13th  or   15th  of  September,  and  must 
use  my  time  to  the  best  advantage. 

I  am  very  grateful  to  both  of  you  for  your  affection  and  kindness 
to  me,  and  your  dear,  good  letters  that  are  always  received  with  many 
thanks.  You  are  never  remembered  by  me,  without  a  prayer  for  your 
happiness  and  prosperity.  Give  my  best  love  to  brother  Ceylon.  I 
shall  write  to  him  soon. 

Now,  don't  discommode  yourself  or  alter  your  calculations  on  my 
account;  but  if  we  come,  and  you  do  not  leave  till  the  15th,  we  can 
see  you  and  have  a  good  visit.  Write  to  me  immediately  at  Solon,  and 
believe  me  as  ever,  Your  own, 

-  James. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

A  POEM  BY  MR.  GARFIELD. LETTERS. 

The  first  number  of  the  third  volume  of  the  Wil- 
liams Quarterly  was  issued  in  August,  1855.  Mr.  Gar- 
field had  been  chosen  its  chief  editor,  and,  with  his 
characteristic  energy  and  ambition,  he  at  once  decided 
to  make  a  marked  improvement,  not  only  hvits  typo- 
graphical appearance,  but  in  its  literary  character.  In 
his  letter  of  August  20,  given  in  the  last  chapter,  he 
gives  a  full  account  of  his  labors  in  the  issue  of  the  first 
number.  That  he  was  eminently  successful  in  the  im- 
provements he  had  planned,  is  too  well  known  to  need 
proof.  The  Quarterly  for  the  year  it  was  edited  by  him 
has  probably  never  been  equalled  by  any  publication  of 
an  American  college.  Among  the  articles  which  he 
contributed  to  its  columns  were  the  following  : 

"The  Geology  of  Literature." 

"The  Province  of  History." 

"  Memory."      A  Poem. 

"  Korner." 

"  Editor's  Table." 

The  review  of  "Korner"  was  very  highly  compli- 
mented by  the  metropolitan  press  of  the  day,  and  ranks 
as  one  of  the  finest  and  most  appreciative  criticisms 
of  the  great  German  which  has  ever  appeared  in 
America. 

His  poem  entitled  "  Memory  "  possesses  high  merit, 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  20J 

and  richly  deserves  a  place  among  his  writings.      It  is 
as  follows :  • 

MEMORY. 

'T  is  beauteous  night ;   the  stars  look  brightly  down 

Upon  the  earth  decked  in  her  robe  of  snow  ; 

No  light  gleams  at  the  windows,  save  my  own, 

Which  gives  its  cheer  to  midnight  and  to  me. 

And  now  with  noiseless  step  sweet  Memory  comes, 

And  leads  me  gently  through  her  twilight  realms. 

What  poet's  tuneful  lyre  has  ever  sung, 

Or  delicatest  pencil  e'er  portrayed 

The  enchanted,  shadowy  land  where  memory  dwells  ? 

It  has  its  valleys,  cheerle  s,  lone  and  drear, 

Dark  shaded  by  the  mournful  cypress  tree ; 

And  yet  its  sunlit  mountain-tops  are  bathed 

In  heaven's  own  blue.      Upon  its  craggy  cliffs, 

Robed  in  the  dreary  light  of  distant  years, 

Are  clustered  joys  serene  of  other  days; 

Upon  its  gently  sloping  hillsides  bend 

The  weeping  willows  o'er  the  sacred  dust 

Of  dear  departed  ones ;  yet,  in  that  land, 

Where'er  our  footstep  falls  upon  the  shore, 

They  that  were  sleeping,  rise  from  out  the  dust 

Of  death's  long,  silent  years,  and  round  us  stand, 

As  erst  they  did  before  the  prison  tomb 

Received  their  clay  within  its  voiceless  halls. 

The  heavens  that  bend  above  that  land  are  hung 

With  clouds  of  various  hues  ;  some  dark  and  chill, 

Surcharged  with  sorrow,  cast  their  sombre  shade 

Upon  the  sunny,  joyous  land  below. 

Others  are  floating  through  the  dreary  air, 

White  as  the  fallen  snow,  their  margins  tinged 

With  gold  and  crimson  hues  :   their  shadows  fall 

Upon  the  flowery  meads  and  sunny  slopes, 

Soft  as  the  shadow  of  an  angel's  wing. 

When  the  rough  battle  of  the  day  is  done, 

And  evening's  peace  falls  gently  on  the  heart, 

I  bound  away  across  the  noisy  years, 

Unto  the  utmost  verge  of  Memory's  land, 

Where  earth  and  sky  in  dreary  distance  meet, 


2c8  REMINISCENCES    OF 

And  Memory  dim  with  dark  oblivion  joins, 

Where  woke  the  first-remembered  sounds  that  fell 

Upon  the  ear  in  childhood's  early  morn, 

And  wandering  thence,  along  the  rolling  years 

I  see  the  shadow  of  my  former  self 

Gliding  from  childhood  up  to  man's  estate. 

The 'path  of  youth  winds  down  through  many  a  vale, 

And  on  the  brink  of  many  a  dread  abyss, 

From  out  whose  darkness  comes  no  ray  of  light, 

Save  that  a  phantom  dances  o'er  the  gulf, 

And  beckons  toward  the  verge.     Again  the  path 

Leads  o'er  a  summit  where  the  sunbeams  fall. 

And  thus,  in  light  and  shade,  sunshine  and  gloom, 

Sorrow  and  joy,  this  life-path  leads  along. 

Mr.  Wilber  contributed  several  articles  of  merit, 
while  the  graduating  address  of  Miss  Booth,  at  Oberlin, 
entitled,  "The  Future  of  the  English  Language,"  is  a 
very  eloquent  and  appreciative  tribute  to  our  noble 
mother  tongue,  as  well  as  a  prophecy  of  its  becoming 
the  ruling  language  of  the  world  and  in  coming  ages, 
acquiring  "a  power  far  surpassing  all  Grecian  and 
Roman  fame." 

Prof.  Chadbourne  contributed  a  series  of  very  inter- 
esting articles  of  travel,  and  other  writers  of  promising 
ability  aided  in  filling  its  ample  columns. 

After  receiving  Mr.  Garfield's  letter,  which  of 
course,  was  answered  at  once,  I  awaited  with  impatience 
his  anticipated  visit.  But  I  was  doomed  to  disappoint- 
ment. Early  in  September,  I  received  the  following 
letter  : 

Solon,  Sept.  7,  1855. 
My  Dear  Corydon  : — Your  most  welcome  favor  of  the  28th  ult.  was 
received  after  some  delay,  and  I  will  take  a  few  moments  to  respond.  I 
had  expected  to  grasp  your  friendly  hand  ere  this,  but  I  am  deprived  of 
that  privilege,  and  must  submit.  Brother  Thomas  arrived  here  to-day,, 
and  you  may  be  assured  we  are  rejoiced  to  see  him. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  2O9 

I  can  not  tell  you  how  much  I  am  disappointed  in  not  being  by 
your  side  to-day,  but  suppose  it  is  all  lor  the  best.  We  had  a  glorious 
meeting  at  Euclid,  and  1  am  rejoiced  to  tell  you  your — yes,  our — dear 
sister  Elma  is  now  a  doubly  dear  sister  in  the  Lord,  and  is  with  us  a 
partaker  of  the  good  hope  of  immortality  and  eternal  life.  I  have 
become  well  acquainted  with  her,  and  would  that  I  could  be  near 
enough  to  her  to  assist  her  in  anything  that  she  might  need.  But 
I  have  surrendered  her  into  the  hands  of  our  good  and  noble  sister, 
ALmeda,  who  is  now  a  graduate  of  Oberlin  College.  It  reminded  me 
of  two  years  ago,  when  at  the  same  place  our  dear  brother  Ceylon 
obeyed  the  Lord  in  his  own  appointed  ordinance. 

I  hope  to  hear  from  you  soon  and  hear  of  your  recovered  health, 
as  well  as  that  of  Mary  also.  I  have  snatched  this  moment  from  visit- 
ing to  write  to  you,  and  you  must  pardon  this  short  letter.  I  leave  for 
Williams  one  week  from  to-day,  and  your  letter  will  find  me  there. 

You  know  I  am  very  thankful  for  your  kind  offers  and  warm  affec- 
tions ;  but  I  am  glad  to  inform  you  that  I  have  secured  money  for  next 
year  from  my  uncle,  Thomas  Garfield,  of  Newburgh.  I  got  my  life 
insured,  and  gave  him  the  policy  as  security  should  I  die  before  the 
year  is  up. 

But  I  must  close.  Give  my  love  to  Mary,  Ceylon,  and  your  father 
and  mother,  and  let  me  hear  from  you  soon,  and  I  promise  a  longer  and 
better  letter  next  time.     As  ever,  your  brother, 

James. 

The  "kind  offer"  above  referred  to,  was  to  furnish 
him  the  money  necessary  for  his  last  year  at  college. 
This,  my  father  had  promised  to  do,  and  I  had  so 
written  to  Mr.  Garfield,  but,  as  he  states,  he  had  al- 
ready made  arrangements  with  his  uncle  for  a  sum 
sufficient  to  meet  his  needs. 

About  the  8th  of  August,  Mrs.  Fuller  had  been 
taken  down  with  typhoid  fever,  and  for  forty  days  did 
not  leave  her  room.  It  was  during  this  protracted  ill- 
ness that  Mr.  Garfield's  letter  was  written,  and  hence 
his  expression  of  hope  concerning  her  recovery.  For 
many  days  she  was  apparently  near  the  border  land  of 
the  world  beyond,  but  about  the  20th  of  September  she 


2IO  REMINISCENCES    OF 

was  so  far  recovered  as  to  sit  up  part  of  the  day.  Her 
long  illness  had  caused  some  delay  in  our  preparations 
for  removal,  and  we  did  not  leave  Grand  Rapids  until 
Sept.  27,  1855,  arriving  at  Mishawaka  the  next  day. 
My  father  had  purchased  a  pleasant  place  of  a  few  acres 
some  half  mile  east  of  the  village,  and  contracted  for 
extensive  additions  and  repairs  to  the  buildings,  which 
were  incomplete  on  our  arrival.  The  place  was  covered 
with  fruit  trees,  which  we  found  loaded  with  fruit.  I 
was  too  busy  for  a  few  days  to  write  letters,  but,  as  soon 
as  I  found  leisure,  I  answered  Mr.  Garfield's  letter,  and 
in  due  time  received  the  following  : 

Williams  College,  Mass.,  "» 
Friday,  Nov.  2,  1855.       / 

My  Dear  Corydon  and  Mary  : — I  select  yours  from  a  pile  of  twenty- 
two  unanswered  letters,  and  am  glad  to  spend  a  few  moments  in  sweet 
converse  with  you.  I  have  had  a  public  debate,  an  exaugural  address 
and  some  speaking  abroad  to  do  within  the  last  three  weeks,  and,  till 
within  the  last  twenty-four  hours,  I  have  not  written  any  other  than 
business  letters  for  two  weeks. 

On  the  16th  of  October  my  class  went  over  the  mountains  thirty 
miles  to  meet  the  Senior  class  of  Amherst  College.  There,  they  in 
company  with  their  President,  Dr.  Stearns,  and  ex-President,  Dr. 
Hitchcock,  of  geological  memory,  christened  a  mountain  with  appro- 
priate literary  ceremonies,  and  after  this  was  done  they  treated  the 
Williams  boys  to  a  grand  dinner  at  the  best  hotel  in  Shelburne  Falls. 
Three  of  our  men  were  chosen,  before  we  left  Williamstown,  to  respond 
to  three  toasts  that  were  to  be  given — one  to  our  class,  one  to  the 
Quarterly,  and  one  to  the  Literary  Societies.  To  the  last,  I  responded. 
I  will  send  you  a  paper  containing  an  account  of  our  trip,  as  soon  as 
they  come.     We  have  sent  for  several  hundred. 

The  week  after  my  return  we  had  a  public  debate,  a  programme  of 
which  I  send  you.  Last  Wednesday  evening  I  delivered  my  exaugural 
address  before  the  .Philologian  Society,  and  now  I  am  comparatively 
free  again. 

I  may  be  allowed  to  say  to  you  what  I  do  not  say  to  many,  that  my 
standing  and  influence  here  are  all  that  I  could  wish,  and,  notwith- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  211 

standing  the  prejudice  against  Western  men,  still  I  can  make  no  com- 
plaint of  the  respect  shown  me  by  the  New  Englanders. 

Yesterday  1  commenced  the  study  of  Hebrew.  It  is  not  in  the 
course,  but  I  want  a  knowledge  of  it.  I  have  read  several  pages  of 
German  since  I  came  here,  and  I  intend  to  pursue  it  still  farther. 

I  received  a  letter  from  our  dear  sister  Elma  a  few  days  ago.  I 
think  she  is  doing  well  in  her  studies,  though  no  doubt  a  little  lone- 
some at  times. 

Have  your  folks  moved  on  to  Mishawaka?  There  are  a  hundred 
things  that  I  want  to  write,  but  have  not  time.  Excuse  this  short  and 
hasty  letter,  and  write  to  me  soon.  I  will  do  better  next, time.  Affec- 
tionately yours,  James. 

The  above  letter  reached  me  the  9th,  and  was  an- 
swered the  nth,  of  November.  On  the  12th,  I  have 
noted  making  the  acquaintance  of  Schuyler  Colfax,  at 
that  time  member  of  Congress  and  editor  of  the  St. 
Joseph  Valley  Register.  My  acquaintance  with  him 
continued  for  nearly  thirty  years,  and  I  am  glad  to  say 
that  I  never  had  a  doubt  of  his  incorruptible  integrity 
and  patriotism.  I  shall  have  occasion  to  mention  him 
frequently  hereafter. 

December  3d  I  received  the  following  letter  : 

Troy,  N.  Y.,  November  28,  1855. 

My  Dear  Corydon : — Your  favor  of  Nov.  12  was  duly  received.  In 
the  hurry  and  bustle  of  the  closing  labors  of  the  term,  I  delayed  an- 
swering it  till  now.  The  session  closed  yesterday,  and  I  have  come  so 
far  on  my  vacation  tramp.  We  had  a  fine  term,  very  pleasant  and 
profitable. 

The  Berkshire  Mountains  have  donned  their  white  caps,  and, 
though  the  Old  Winter  has  not  yet  made  his  arrival,  yet  he  has  an- 
nounced his  approach  by  a  flourish  of  trumpet  winds  and  a  flurry  of 
fallen  snow,  and  these  pearly  moonlights  remind  me  of  Ohio  sleigh- 
rides  in  the  olden  time.  I  seem  to  hear  again  the  merry  sound  of  the 
bells— 

"  As  they  tinkle,  tinkle,  tinkle, 

On  the  icy  air  of  night, 
While  the  stars  that  oversprinkle 


212  REMINISCENCES    OF 

All  the  heavens,  seem  to  twinkle 
With  a  crystalline  delight." 

1  suppose  that  you  are  enjoying  the  soft,  mild  days  of  an  Indian 
summer  in  your  Western  home.  Would  that  I  could  be  with  you,  and 
spend  this  coming  six  weeks  of  vacation  time.  You  do  n't  know  how 
often  my  mind  turns  away  to  you  and  my  heart  sighs  for  a  quiet  even- 
ing's communion  with  you  by  your  own  fireside.  But  I  must  buffet  the 
waves  alone  yet  a  little  longer,  and  hope  ere  many  months  have  rolled 
away  to  grasp  again  your  brother  and  sister  hands. 

I  shall  spend  my  vacation  in  reading,  writing,  visiting  and  travel- 
ing. There  are  six  secret  societies  in  college,  and  the  anti-secret 
society,  to  which  I  belong,  has  been  making  some  exertions  to  counter- 
act their  evil  influences.  They  became  very  indignant,  and  challenged 
us  to  a  discussion.  They  chose  three  champions,  and  our  society  three. 
The  principal  labor  of  the  discussion  comes  upon  me,  and,  as  the 
speeches  are  to  be  written  out  in  full  and  published  in  book  form,  I  am 
desirous  of  doing  the  thing  as  well  as  1  can.  I  told  them,  since  they 
gave  the  challenge,  we  had  the  right  of  choosing  our  weapons  ;  so  I 
proposed  an  oral  discussion.  They  refused,  and,  on  being  pushed  for 
the  reason  of  their  refusal,  they  said  they  had  not  as  good  debaters  as 
we,  and  would  prefer  to  write.  So  we  accepted.  I  shall  visit  the  Astor 
Library,  New  York,  and  probably  the  Public  Library  in  Boston,  and 
make  researches  on  the  general  subject  of  Secrecy  and  Secret  Organi- 
zations. 

I  am  now  going  to  visit  Bro.  Streator,  at  Poestenkill,  where  he  has 
lately  returned  with  his  newly  wedded  wife,  she  that  was  formerly  Sister 
Rebecca  Hubbard,  of  Deerfield,  Ohio.  She  was  at  Hiram  last  term 
and  was  a  good  friend  to  Elma,  and  I  presume  she  has  told  you  of  her. 
I  am  going  to  spend  Thanksgiving  (to-morrow)  with  a  friend  here  in 
Troy.  You  know  that  New  England  customs  govern  those  bordering 
on  the  land  of  the  Puritans.  The  proclamation  of  the  Governor  of 
Massachusetts  not  only  commands  the  "good  people  of  the  Common- 
wealth "  to  engage  in  thanksgiving  and  praise,  but  also  to  make  it  a  day 
of  joy  and  conviviality,  and  the  best  of  good  feeling,  and  so  I  must  try- 
to  obey.  But  there  are  so  many  visitors  around  me,  and  so  many  ques- 
tions asked,  that  I  am  sure  I  am  not  producing  a  very  sensible  letter;  so 
I'll  stop  soon. 

I  sent  you  the  Quarterly  a  few  days  ago.  I  had  but  one  small  ar- 
ticle in  it,  "The  Charge  of  the  Tight  Brigade,"  a  parody  on  Tennyson's 
"Charge  of  the  Light  Brigade."  "The  Future  of  the  English  Lan- 
guage "  is  Almeda's  graduating  speech,  and  a  fine  thing. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  213 

Let  me  hear  from  you  both  soon.  I  hope  Mary  will  be  able  to 
write  some  to  me  next  time.  Direct  as  before,  and  it  will  be  forwarded 
to  me.      With  much  love,  I  am  your  brother, 

James. 

I  am  not  quite  certain  that  those  who  read  these 
articles  will  be  interested  in  all  the  trifling  details  of 
daily  life  which  are  revealed  in  the  letters  of  Mr.  Gar- 
field; yet,  I  think  they  give  a  deeper  insight  into  the 
heart  and  real  character  of  the  man  than  all  his  public 
speeches.  As  I  have  already  said,  they  always  came 
to  me  as  the  sincere  and  unstudied  expression  of  a  very 
dear  friend,  and  were  cherished  accordingly.  The 
winter  of  1855-6  passed  rather  monotonously  to  me,  as 
I  had  considerable  leisure,  and  the  little  village  afforded 
few  opportunities  for  employment  or  amusement.  We 
were  not  to  commence  our  mercantile  business  until 
spring,  and  I  had  plenty  of  time  to  prepare  our  memo- 
randa of  goods  to  be  purchased,  as  well  as  to  keep  up 
a  large  correspondence,  and  each  day  to  write  in  my 
journal  notes  of  passing  events,  whether  of  little  or 
great  importance.  We  read  "  Ruth  Hall  "  and  "  Rose 
Clark,"  then  new  books  from  the  pen  of  "  Fanny  Fern," 
and  other  current  literature.  Of  course,  Mr.  Garfield's 
letters  were  promptly  answered,  and  early  in  January 
I  received  the  following  : 

Dorchester  Heights,  Mass.,  \ 
Saturday  eve.,  Jan.  5,  1856.      J 

My  Dear  Corydon  and  Mary : — I  want  to  pencil  a  few  lines  to  you 
from  this  enchanting  spot  on  the  sea  shore,  six  miles  from  Boston,  and 
when  I  return  perhaps  I  will  ink  it  into  a  letter  to  you.  I  am  spending 
the  night  here  with  a  classmate  of  mine,  one  of  the  dearest  friends  I 
have  in  college.  I  am  in  an  old  house — every  timber  of  oak — built 
more  than  a  hundred  years  ago.  To  one  who  has  seen  cities  rise  from 
the  wild  forest  in  the  space  of  a  dozen  years,  and  has  hardly  ever  seen 
a  building  older  than  himself,  you  may  be  assured  that  many  reflections 


214  REMINISCENCES    OF 

are  awakened  by  the  look  of  antiquity  that  everything  has  around  me. 
The  quaint  old  beams  and  panelled  walls,  the  heavy  double  windows 
that  look  out  ocean-ward,  in  short,  the  whole  air  of  the  building  speaks 
of  the  days  of  the  olden  time.  To  think  that  these  walls  have  echoed 
to  the  shouts  of  loyalty  to  George  the  King — have  heard  all  the  voices 
of  the  spirit-stirring  Revolution,  the  patriotic  resolve,  the  tramp  of  the 
soldier's  foot,  the  voice  of  the  beloved  Washington  (for  within  a  few 
rods  of  here  he  made  his  Revolutionary  encampment),  the  cannon  t.f 
Bunker  Hill,  the  lamentations  of  defeat  and  shouts  of  victory— all 
these  can  not  but  awaken  peculiar  reflections. 

To  how  many  that  are  now  sleepers  in  the  quiet  church-yard,  or 
wanderers  in  the  wide,  cold  world,  has  this  been  the  dear  ancestral 
hall,  where  all  the  joys  of  childhood  we're  clustered.  Within  this  oaken- 
ceiled  chamber  how  many  bright  hopes  have  been  cherished  and  high 
resolves  formed  !  How  many  hours  of  serene  joy,  and  how  many  heart 
throbs  of  bitter  anguish !  If  these  walls  had  a  voice  I  would  ask  them 
to  tell  me  the  mingled  scenes  of  joy  and  sorrow  they  have  witnessed. 
But  even  their  silence  has  a  voice,  and  I  love  to  listen.  But  without 
there  is  no  silence,  for  the  tempest  is  howling  and  the  snows  are  drift- 
ing. The  voice  of  the  great  waves,  as  they  come  rolling  up  against  the 
wintry  shore,  speak  of  Him  "  whose  voice  is  as  the  sound  of  many 
waters."     Only  a  few  miles  from  here  is  the  spot  where — 

"  The  breaking  waves  dashed  high, 

On  a  stern  and  rock-bound  coast, 
And  the  woods  against  a  stormy  sky 

Their  giant  branches  tossed. 
And  the  heavy  night  hung  dark, 

The  hills  and  waters  o'er, 
When  a  band  of  exiles  moored  their  bark 

On  the  wild  New  England  shore." 

Dear  ones,  do  you  know  how  much  I  wish  you  were  both  here 
with  me  to-night,  to  talk  of  all  these  things?  But  the  coal  has  sunk 
to  the  lowest  bar  in  the  grate  beside  me;  'tis  far  past  the  noon 
of  night,  and  I  must  close.  I  '11  try  to  forget  my  loneliness,  and  think 
of  your  quiet  and  joyful  happiness,  and  bid  you  good-night. 
As  ever,  your  affectionate 

James. 

Williams,  Jan.  12,  1856. 
Brother  and  Sister  Dear: — Three  days  ago  I  returned  to  college 
after   my  tramp   in   New  York,  New  Haven   and  Boston.     Your  very 
dear  letter  of  Dec.  10  was  most  thankfully  received.     It  is  such  a  com- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  21 5 

fort,  in  my  hours  of  loneliness,  to  receive  such  good,  kind  letters  from 
you  both.  I  hope  it  may  not  be  so  long  again  before  I  shall  hear  from 
you. 

During  the  first  two  weeks  of  the  vacation  I  was  sick  with  the 
bilious  fever,  but  I  was  among  very  dear  friends  in  Poestenkill,  and  was 
very  kindly  treated.  I  am  now  very  well,  and  feel  strong  for  the  work 
of  the  term  which  has  just  commenced. 

I  have  some  extra  work  this  term,  as  I  always  have — that  discus- 
sion of  which  I  told  you  ;  and  I  am  also  studying  Hebrew.  I  hope  to 
leave  college  with  a  tolerable  knowledge  of  German  and  Hebrew, 
besides  the  regular  studies  of  the  course. 

I  received  a  letter  from  Elma  a  few  days  ago.  She  was  then  in 
Chardon,  and  was  about  leaving  for  home.  I  presume  she  is  there  by 
this  time.  She  has  written  me  some  very  good  letters  since  I  came 
from  Ohio  last.  I  regret  that  her  poor  health  obliges  her  to  leave 
school.  Do  n't  you  think  your  mother  will  write  again  ?  I  very  much 
wish  she  would.  How  is  Ceylon  getting  along  ?  and  your  Father  ? 
Give  my  love  to  them  all,  and  let  me  hear  from  you  soon  again. 
As  ever,  your  own  brother, 

James. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

MR.    GARFIELD    APPOINTED    FOR    THE    METAPHYSICAL    ORA- 
TION AT  COMMENCEMENT. SEVERAL  LETTERS. 

Williams  College,  Mass.,  \ 
Monday,  Feb.  II,  1856.      j 

My  Dear  Corydon: — Your  long-looked-for  and  most  welcome  favor 
of  the  1st  inst.  came  to  hand  last  Friday,  and  I  take  this  early  oppor- 
tunity to  respond.  I  am  always  very  glad  to  hear  from  you  and  Mary, 
and  any  of  your  folks,  and  I  was  especially  glad  to  hear  from  you  at 
this  time,  because  there  has  oeen  a  great  dearth  in  my  letter  receipts 
for  the  last  three  weeks,  on  account  of  the  deep  snow  which  blocks  up 
the  railroads  and  hinders  the  mails.  And,  indeed,  it  has  been  a  long 
time  since  I  have  heard  from  you.  We  are  having  a  terrible  winter  here. 
For  six  weeks  the  snow  has  lain  over  two  feet  on  a  level  [i.  ^..supposing 
there  were  any  level  places  here),  and  the  thermometer  most  of  the  time 
several  degrees  below  zero.  Yet  I  love  to  sit  here  at  my  window  in  the 
early  morning  time,  and  drink  in  the  beauty  of  the  scene  without.  The 
earth  lies  wrapped  in  a  robe  of  purest  white,  while  floods  of  voluptuous 
moonlight  stream  all  over  her  as  if  to  woo  her  from  her  coldness.  It 
makes  me  think  of  a  warm,  loving  cheek  laid  against  such  cold  marble 
as  sometimes  walks  the  earth  in  the  semblance  of  flesh  and  blood,  try- 
ing to  find  some  life  and  warmth  ;  but  ah  !  poor  cheek  !  you  only  freeze 
your  own  warm  currents  and  grow  chill  yourself.  And  thus  I  see  the 
clear  moonlight  is  filled  with  glittering  frost — the  very  stars  rain  down 
coldness.  All  is  cold  purity,  but  beautiful,  oh!  so  beautiful — and  yet, 
I  '11  go  to  the  fire  ! 

But,  then,  I  am  enjoying  myself  very  well  this  winter.  We  are 
now  gathering  the  ripest  fruit  of  the  college  course,  and  our  beloved 
and  powerful  President  Hopkins  is  leading  us  with  a  strong  hand  along 
paths  of  thought  which  my  feet  have  never  before  trodden.  I  hope  to 
save  some  of  the  treasures  he  is  giving  us,  to  use  in  coming  life. 

I  do  not  know  the  origin  of  that  rumor  concerning  the  Presidency 
of  the  Eclectic,  but  I  have  heard  it  from  several  different  sources.      I 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  21J 

presume  there  is  nothing  in  it,  though  perhaps  there  may  be.  I  do  not 
expect  any  such  thing,  and  shall  make  no  moves  to  bring  it  about, 
though  perhaps  I  might  echo  the  sentiment  of  Sam  Houston,  "  If  the 
Presidency  is  thrust  upon  me,  I  shall  do  as  I  please  about  accepting." 

A  recent  letter  from  Almeda  has  a  little  in  reference  to  it,  which  I 
will  tell  you,  though  I  would  not  like  to  have  it  go  further  than  your 
family.  She  says:  "  Brother  Hayden  thinks  you  are  morally  bound  to 
come  back  here,  but  I  think  the  moral  obligation  resting  upon  him  is 
quite  as  strong  to  give  up  the  management  to  you  if  you  should  come. 
I  know  you  can  never  endure  to  work  under  him,  for  it  is  ten  times  as 
irksome  to  me  as  it  was  before  I  went  away.  James,  would  you  risk  to 
come  here  and  see  what  you  can  do  with  the  school  ?  It  certainly  is  a 
good  location,  and  I  know  you  would  succeed,  if  you  were  not  embar- 
rassed by  dictation  or  management." 

So  she  writes,  and  in  a  similar  strain  several  others  have  written. 
I  have  had  an  offer  of  $1,000  per  year  to  take  the  charge  of  the  city 
schools  in  Troy,  N.  Y.,  but  I  have  refused  because  it  would  take  me 
from  my  studies  next  March.  I  wish  you  would  tell  me  what  you  have 
heard,  and  from  whom  it  came,  in  reference  to  Hiram,  and  also  what 
you  think  about  it.  Let  me  hear  from  you  soon.  My  health  is  very 
good,  though  I  was  sick  two  weeks  in  vacation  with  the  bilious  fever. 
Much  love  to  Mary  and  all  your  folks.  I  shall  write  to  El  ma  soon.  I 
hope  Mary  will  write  to  me  also,  next  time.     Your  own 

James. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  foregoing  letter  that  Mr.  Gar- 
field's friends  at  Hiram  were  watching  with  pride  and 
confidence  his  course  at  Williams.  They  were  fully 
aware  of  the  numerous  friends  he  was  making  in  New 
England  and  New  York,  and  feared  that  inducements 
might  be  offered  to  tempt  him  not  to  return  to  Ohio. 
While  President  Hayden  was  universally  respected  and 
greatly  beloved  for  his  gentle  and  winning  traits  of 
character,  it  was  evident  that  he  lacked  many  of  the 
essential  qualifications  of  a  college  president.  He  was 
not  himself  a  graduate  of  college,  and  he  did  not  pos- 
sess sufficient  energy  and  push  to  suit  the  needs  of  such 
a  position.      It  need  not,  therefore,  be  thought  strange 


2l8  REMINISCENCES    OF 

that  the  eyes  of  those  who  were  seeking  for  the  "  com- 
ing man  "  who  should  revivify  the  Eclectic  should  be 
turned  toward  the  daring  youth  who  had  proved  more 
than  a  match  for  his  fellows  in  one  of  the  best  colleges 
of  New  England,  notwithstanding  the  disadvantages 
under  which  he  had  entered  the  contest.  Miss  Booth, 
especially,  had  watched  with  more  than  a  sister's  inter- 
est his  triumphant  course,  and,  with  unquestioning  faith, 
in  his  ability  to  accomplish  anything  he  might  under- 
take, she  greatly  desired  to  see  him  at  the  head  of  the 
Eclectic,  where  only  five  years  before  he  had  been  the 
bell  ringer.  He  would  have  been  less  or  more  than 
human  not  to  have  been  proudly  conscious  of  the  su- 
perb compliment  implied  in  such  a  promotion. 

Williams   College,  Mass.,  1 
Tuesday,  March  18,1856.      / 

My  Dear  Corydon : — Your  kind  favor  of  the  26th  ultimo  has  been 
neglected  much  longer  than  1  intended  it  should  be,  but  not  long  after 
I  received  it  I  found  the  Quarterly  out  of  copy,  and,  though  I  had  al- 
ready written  one  article  for  it  (the  March  number  1,  yet  the  editors  de- 
creed that  I  must  come  to  the  rescue  with  another.  So  I  went  at  it, 
and  have  just  completed  an  article  of  thirty-three  manuscript  pages, 
and  sent  it  to  our  printers.  We  expect  the  number  out  in  about  three 
weeks. 

This  is  the  eighty-fifth  day  that  the  snow  has  lain  heavy  and  deep 
on  all  our  mountains  and  in  all  our  valleys,  and  we  have  had  no  thaw 
during  that  time.  It  has  been  by  far  the  coldest  winter  I  have  ever  ex- 
perienced. I  have,  however,  enjoyed  excellent  health  during  the  whole 
time,  and  have  had  but  one  cold,  and  that  a  slight  one. 

I  have  accomplished  more  this  term  than  I  ever  did  in  any  term 
before.  Yesterday  I  read  the  first  verse  of  Genesis  in  the  original  He- 
brew. I  am  delighted  with  that  noble  old  language.  Though  it  is  not 
in  the  course  of  college  study,  yet  I  recite  to  one  of  the  professors,  and 
he  says  I  will  be  able  to  read  a  chapter  an  hour  by  the  time  I  graduate. 
I  have  also  done  a  good  deal  of  miscellaneous  reading  this  term,  for  I 
want  to  improve  my  opportunity  to  use  libraries  while  I  am  in  reach  of 
them.     I  am  now  reading  Irving's  new  work,  "The  Life  of  Washing- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  2IO, 

ton."  It  is  one  of  the  most  beautifully  written  and  charming  books  I 
ever  read.  I  am  now  reading  his  campaign  in  New  Jersey,  and  I  con- 
stantly think  of  you,  there  in  Schraal — etc.  (I  haven't  paper  to  waste 
on  so  long  and  Dutchy  a  name),  and  of  our  tramp  up  the  long  hill, 
where  a  part  of  the  patriotic  army  passed  up.  Do  you  remember  that 
lady  that  kindly  offered  to  "  ride  us  up"  to  Schr.,  etc.  ?  How  much  I 
should  love  to  go  down  the  Hudson  with  you  again,  and  have  Mary  and 
L.  along  with  us  ! 

Many  thanks  for  your  suggestions  in  reference  to  my  future  course. 
I  want  very  much  to  see  you  and  have  a  long  talk  on  a  good  many 
matters.  I  am  very  happy  here,  but  I  am  tired  of  this  long,  weary 
winter  weather.  I  long  for  the  time  when  gentle  spring,  with  all  her 
"ethereal  mildness,"  will  stand  upon  these  mountain  tops,  and  breathe 
upon  the  drifted  snows  till  they  shall  relent  and  weep  themselves  away. 

I  want  to  be  especially  remembered  to  Almon  S.  Kilby.  Please 
remind  him  of  his  promise  to  write  a  letter  to  me,  and  tell  him  I  am 
hoping  to  receive  it  soon.  I  have  not  yet  heard  anything  very  definite 
from  Hiram,  but  am  expecting  to  before  long.  As  you  say,  I  must  first 
go  at  something  to  clear  myself  of  debt,  and  then  decide  upon  some 
fixed  course  of  life  for  the  future.  I  want  to  hear  from  you  very  often. 
How  is  your  health  and  Mary's  ?  Won't  she  write  to  me  in  the  next 
letter?  Tell  Elma  to  do  so  likewise.  I  will  always  answer  you  all  as 
promptly  as  I  can.  Give  my  best  love  to  your  father  and  mother,  and 
Mary  and  Elma,  and  please  do  n't  delay  answering  because  I  have  been 
obliged  to.  With  the  strong  love  of  early  and  later  years,  I  am  as  ever, 
Your  own  brother  and  friend, 

James. 

The  article  for  the  Quarterly  above  referred  to  was 
the  review  of  the  works  of  the  German  poet,  Korner, 
to  which  reference  has  already  been  made.  Almon  S. 
Kilby,  to  whom  he  sends  his  regards,  was  the  gentle- 
man for  whom  Mr.  Garfield  did  his  last  carpenter  work, 
at  Hiram,  during  the  summer  of  1852.  Mr.  Kilby  was 
building  a  house  that  summer,  a  few  rods  southwest  of 
the  school  building,  and  Mr.  Garfield  did  most  of  the 
work.  Subsequently  Mr.  Kilby  had  removed  to  Mish- 
awaka,  where  he  remained  for  some  years.  He  was 
engaged  in  the  daguerrotype  business,  and  died,  I  think, 


220  REMINISCENCES    OF 

in   1884,  at  Huntington,  Ind.      He  was  a  genial,  hos- 
pitable gentleman,  and  made  many  friends. 

In  due  time,  the  following  letter  was  received  : 

Williams,  May  15,  1856. 

Dear  Corydon  and  Mary : — I  have  for  several  weeks  been  hoping  to 
receive  a  letter  from  you,  thinking  that  I  had  answered  your  last  before 
I  left  for  my  vacation  term.  On  reluming  last  Monday,  I  found  your 
letter  in  the  pocket  of  a  coat  which  I  had  not  taken  with  me,  and  then 
I  was  in  doubt  whether  I  had  answered  it  or  not.  So  I  will  now  write, 
and,  if  it  makes  two  letters  from  me  in  succession,  you  must  not 
grumble. 

I  was  absent  a  little  more  than  four  weeks,  and  I  had  a  very  pleas- 
ant time.  Two  weeks  of  it  were  spent  just  on  the  line  of  Connecticut, 
in  full  view  of  the  Sound,  and  the  Island  beyond,  with  its  long  line  of 
blue  hills  and  white,  sandy  beach.  I  could  sometimes  count  forty  sails 
upon  it  at  once.  Chatting,  rambling,  reading  and  driving  added  wings 
to  the  hours. 

Four  days  I  spent  in  the  Empire  City  purchasing  books  for  the 
Philologian  Society,  and  then  I  came  up  the  Hudson  on  the  "  Rip  Van- 
winkle,"  and  spent  the  last  ten  days  of  my  trip  in  Poestenkill.  I  was 
nearly  used  up  at  the  end  of  last  term,  but  am  now  fully  recruited. 

The  graduating  honors  have  been  awarded.  All  who  average  nine 
and  nine-tenths  on  a  scale  of  ten,  in  all  departments  of  college  duty, 
receive  honors.  A  man  must  average  six  in  order  to  be  permitted  to 
make  a  graduating  speech.  Out  of  our  forty-five  members  there  are 
twenty-eight  only  who  marked  high  enough  to  obtain  this  last-named 
appointment,  and  six  who  received  graduating  honors.  I  am  one  of 
the  six,  and  received  the  Metaphysical  Honor,  which  is  considered  sec- 
ond only  to  the  Valedictory,  which  last  is  always  awarded  to  one  who 
has  been  here  the  full  time,  other  things  being  nearly  equal.  I  have 
been  thus  particular  in  telling  you  of  this,  for  I  know  you  will  rejoice 
with  me  in  any  distinction  fairly  gained,  especially  with  the  disadvan- 
tages under  which  I  labored  in  coming  in  so  late  in  the  course. 

Twelve  weeks  from  yesterday,  if  life  and  health  are  spared  me,  I 
hope  to  graduate,  and  I  hope  to  meet  you  both  here.  Lucretia  expects 
to  come  down,  and  probably  some  other  of  our  Ohio  folks.  I  want  you 
to  tell  me  in  your  next  if  I  may  not  look  for  you. 

I  suppose  you  have  received  the  last  Quarterly  (for  March),  though 
it  was  a  little  behind  the  time  and  was  not  sent  till  after  I  left  for 
vacation.      My  articles  are  the  poem,  "  Memory,"   and  the  article  on 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  221 

"  Korner."  Wilber's  are  "  The  Dying  Flower  "  and  "Modes  of  Ex- 
pression." Please  give  me  your  criticisms  on  those  and  on  the  whole 
number. 

I  am  having  my  likeness  lithographed,  and  when  I  get  them  I  will 
send  you  one.  I  want  your  and  Mary's  likeness,  if  you  are  willing  to 
send  them  to  me. 

Late  letters  leave  the  friends  in  Ohio  well.  Henry  and  Susan  have 
been  blessed  by  the  advent  of  a  daughter — their  first-born. 

If  I  did  not  answer  your  last,  you  will  pardon  my  seeining  neglect, 
I  know,  for  it  was  only  seeming.  Now,  I  hope  to  hear  from  you  both 
soon.  Give  my  love  to  all  your  folks,  and  believe  me,  as  ever,  your 
brother,  James. 

Agreeably  to  Mr.  Garfield's  request,  I  wrote  some 
criticisms  of  his  article  on  Korner.  At  that  time  I  was 
considerably  interested  in  the  efforts  of  the  American 
Peace  Society,  and  had  a  very  keen  appreciation  of  the 
horrors  of  war;  and  as  some  of  the  finest  passages  of 
the  great  German  poet  were  in  honor  of  war  and  war- 
riors, I  thought  their  tendency  would  be  to  kindle  a  love 
for  military  glory  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  should  be 
led  to  admire  his  impassioned  words.  A  few  years  later, 
when  the  crisis  came  with  the  attack  on  Sumter,  and 
the  President  of  our  Peace  Society  started  out  to  re- 
cruit a  regiment  for  service  in  the  Union  army,  and  we 
all  revised  our  ideas  upon  the  subject  of  both  war  and 
peace,  I  presume  I  should  have  modified  my  criticism 
of  the  poems  of  the  young  German  patriot,  who  gave 
his  life  for  his  country.  I  have  no  copy  of  what  I 
wrote,  but  the  following  was  his  reply  : 

Williams  College,  May  31,  1856. 

Dear  Brother  Coiydon : — Your  very  kind  and  prompt  letter  of  the 
25th  inst.  is  just  received,  and  I  take  the  first  moment  to  respond. 

It  gives  me  the  greatest  joy  to  think  that  I  am  so  soon  to  meet  the 
twin  brother  of  my  heart,  whose  throbs  have  ever  been  responsive  to 
your  own.  I  long  to  grasp  again  the  warm,  true  hand  which  has  never 
deceived  me,  nor  been  held  back  from  Llessing  me.    Our  friendship  has 


222  REMINISCENCES    OF 

always  been  such  an  unselfish  one,  that  to  me  all  the  changes  thr.s  pass- 
ing years  have  wrought  have  not  sufficed  to  dim  its  brightness  or  di- 
minish its  worth.  We  learned  its  Alpha  in  the  halls  of  the  Eclectic, 
but  I  trust  that  its  Omega  will  not  be  reached  this  side  of  the  eternal 
•world. 

A  thousand  things  I  want  to  say  to  you,  which  must  be  postponed 
till  I  meet  you.  Many  thanks  for  your  kind  notice  of  my  article  in  the 
Quarterly,  and  especially  your  criticisms  on  the  spirit  of  Korner.  I  am 
by  no  means  an  advocate  of  war,  and  I  especially  deprecate  that  ambition 
that  "Seeks  the  bubble  reputation  even  at  the  cannon's  mouth,"  regard- 
less of  the  rights  or  lives  of  men ;  but  perhaps  we  would  both  agree  in 
justifying  such  a  war  as  that  of  the  Revolution,  or  any  one  where  liberty 
or  slavery  were  in  the  struggle.  Korner  often  speaks  in  his  letters  and 
poems  of  fighting  for  glory,  but  I  do  not  at  all  agree  with  that  spirit, 
and  did  not  intend  to  give  countenance  to  it  in  my  article.  In  the  main 
I  very  much  admire  the  character  of  Korner,  and  I  doubt  not  my  en- 
thusiasm for  him  and  his  poems  led  me  into  some  expressions  which  I 
should  not  otherwise  have  made.  I  am  very  grateful  to  you  for  your 
suggestion,  and  will  endeavor  to  profit  by  it. 

I  hope  you  will  write  for  the  News  Boy,  for  I  take  it,  and  also  write 
for  it  occasionally.     Does  Ellis  send  it  to  you  ? 

The  morning  train  (8  o'clock)  connects  with  the  stage  at  Hoosick 
Falls,  but  no  other  during  the  day.  At  the  Union  Depot  at  Troy  (Troy 
&  Boston  Railroad  office),  you  can  purchase  a  ticket  through  to  Wil- 
liamstown,  and  thus  save  a  dollar.  In  regard  to  entertainment  while 
here,  I  will  see  to  that  myself.  There  will  be  a  great  crowd,  and  I  may 
not  be  able  to  have  everything  just  as  I  would  like,  but  I  will  have  it 
fixed  so  that  we  can  be  together.  I  some  expect  quite  a  company  from 
Ohio ;  Sutton  talks  of  coming,  and  probably  Lucretia  will  be  here. 

I  do  not  yet  know  whether  I  can  leave  immediately  after  Com- 
mencement or  not,  but  I  shall  in  a  short  time  after. 

My  work  for  the  next  year  is  not  yet  fully  decided.  I  may  go  to 
Hiram,  but  I  can  not  yet  tell.  I  hope  you  will  be  here  as  soon  as  the 
Sunday  before  Commencement,  to  hear  Dr.  Hopkins'  Baccalaureate 
sermon. 

I  am  in  a  whirlwind  of  work  now,  and  have  twenty  examinations 
to  prepare  for  by  the  7th  of  July.  Best  love  to  Mary  and  your  folks, 
and  let  me  hear  from  you  again  soon. 

Ever  your  brother, 

James. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  223 

The  News  Boy  was  a  weekly  newspaper,  published 
at  Malta,  Ohio,  by  Ellis  Ballou,  a  cousin  of  Mr.  Gar- 
field. Mr.  Ballou  has  before  been  mentioned,  as  well 
as  his  wife,  formerly  Miss  Laura  A.  Clark,  who  was 
one  of  the  teachers  at  Hiram  in  185 1.  They  have  lived 
for  many  years  at  Helena,  Montana,  where  Mr.  Ballou 
has  since  been  an  officer  in  the  United  States  Land 
Office.  At  the  request  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ballou,  both 
of  whom  were  valued  friends,  I  contributed  quite  a 
series  of  articles  for  the  columns  of  their  paper  during 
the  summer  and  autumn  of  1856. 

I  had  informed  Mr.  Garfield  that  Mrs.  Fuller  and 
myself  would  be  present  at  the  Commencement,  where 
he  was  to  graduate.  It  was  to  be  a  great  occasion  at 
Williamstown,  as  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  Amer- 
ican Foreign  Missionary  Society  was  to  be  held  there 
in  connection  with  the  Commencement  exercises. 

On  receipt  of  the  above  letter,  I  wrote  him  an  urgent 
invitation,  on  behalf  of  the  church  at  Mishawaka,  to 
become  its  pastor.  He  had  so  excellent  a  reputation  as 
a  preacher  that  the  church  was  anxious  to  secure  his 
services,  while  personally,  on  account  of  our  long  and 
intimate  friendship,  and  my  high  appreciation  of  his 
great  abilities,  I  was  doubly  anxious  that  he  should 
come  among  us.  My  letter  was  written  on  the  9th  of 
June,  and  his  answer  was  as  follows  : 

Williams  College,  June  17,  1856. 
Dear  Brother  Cory  don : — Your  very  kind  letter  of  the  9th  inst.  was 
duly  received,  and  I  respond  immediately.  Be  assured,  my  dear  brother, 
that  my  heart  is  very  grateful  to  you  for  the  kindness  and  affection 
which  you  have  ever  manifested  for  me,  and  that  you  still  do.  Would 
that  I  were  fully  worthy  of  it.  Surely  nothing  could  give  me  more 
pleasure  than  to  live  near  you  and  labor,  shoulder  to  shoulder,  with  you 
in  such  a  noble  enterprise  as  that  of  carrying  forward  the  gospel  of  our 


224  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Redeemer  and  God.  The  proposals  which  you  make  are  very  generous ; 
they  are  just  like  your  noble  self,  and  you  know  there  is  no  person  on 
earth  to  whom  I  would  be  more  willing  to  commit  my  interests  than  to 
you.  I  would  have  been  glad  had  your  letter  arrived  a  few  days  sooner. 
Since  I  wrote  you  last,  I  received  a  letter  from  the  Eclectic  in  reference 
to  going  back  there  to  teach.  In  answer,  I  told  them  on  certain  con- 
ditions and  for  a  sufficient  price,  I  would  go  there  one  year,  but  for  the 
present  I  would  not  engage  for  a  longer  time  than  that.  The  reasons 
why  I  would  not  stay  longer  than  one  year,  in  the  present  aspect  of 
affairs,  I  did  not  tell,  but  you  know.  I  am  in  daily  expectation  of  a 
letter  from  them,  and,  if  they  accede  to  my  conditions,  I  shall  be  in 
duty  bound  to  go. 

I  have  also  refused  (partially)  several  other  offers  to  teach  and 
speak  east  of  the  Hudson,  in  consequence  of  that  conditional  pledge, 
so  that,  on  the  whole,  I  do  not  think  it  possible  for  me  to  think  seriously 
of  being  with  you,  though  you  know  I  would  very  much  love  to. 

Give  my  love  to  brother  Almon  for  his  kind  wishes  in  my  behalf. 
Now,  all  these  things,  and  a  good  many  more,  we  will  talk  over  when 
you  are  with  me.  When  shall  you  be  here  ?  Tell  me  the  time,  and  I 
will  make  preparations  accordingly.  Probably  Lucretia  and  Almeda 
will  be  here,  and  possibly  Bro.  A.  S.  Hayden. 

Did  you  know  Harrison  Rhodes,  at  Hiram?  He  is  to  enter  here 
next  year.  Also  O.  P.  Miller  talks  of  coming  here  one  year  to  study, 
though  not  to  graduate.  Best  love  to  Mary  and  your  folks,  and  let  me 
hear  from  you  soon.     Charles  sends  love. 

In  the  love  of  early  and  later  years,  I  am  ever 
Your  own  brother, 

James. 

"Bro.  Almon,"  above  mentioned,  was  Almon  S. 
Kilby ;  "Harrison  Rhodes"  was  the  well-known  at- 
torney-at-law,  J.  H.  Rhodes,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
"Charles"  was  Prof.  C.  D.  Wilber,  of  whom  I  have 
often  spoken.  "Lucretia"  and  "Almeda"  will  be 
easily  identified  as  Miss  Rudolph  and  Miss  Booth. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

VISIT   TO    WILLIAMSTOWN. MISSIONARY    JUBILEE. 

We  had  commenced  our  mercantile  business  about 
the  first  of  April,  1856.  I  was  nominally  a  junior 
partner,  with  one-fifth  interest  in  the  profits  or  losses, 
and  was  allowed  to  draw  a  very  moderate  sum  for  cur- 
rent expenses.  I  was,  of  course,  wholly  without  ex- 
perience, and,  unfortunately,  my  father  had  never 
learned  the  fundamental  principles  which  are  essential 
to  success  in  such  business.  I  worked  very  hard, 
and  as  I  read  over  the  daily  history  of  those  busy 
months  I  almost  wonder  how  I  found  time  for  many 
things  outside  of  my  routine  duties,  which  I  accom- 
plished. The  one  pleasure  of  the  summer,  which  I  had 
anticipated  for  many  months,  was  the  visit  to  Williams 
College  at  the  Commencement  in  August. 

I  received  two  short  letters  from  Mr.  Garfield,  after 

the  last  one  given  to  the  reader,  before  meeting  him. 

The    first    was    received    at    Mishawaka,    and    was    as 

follows : 

"Williams,  July  1,  1856. 
My  Dear  Corydon: — Your  kind  favor  of  the  27th  ult.  was  received 
by  last  evening's  mail,  and  I  will  respond  immediately.  The  number 
of  my  duties  increases  as  the  close  of  the  year  draws  on.  One  week 
from  to-day  the  final  examinations  commence,  and  I  am  now  reviewing 
all  the  studies,  or  the  main  ones,  that  we  have  been  over  since  Fresh- 
man year.  Among  others,  we  shall  be  examined  on  the  same  old 
Horace  that  you  and  I  read  together,  and  I  have  just  been  reviewing 
the  "  Ar«  Poetica  "  this  momin" 


226  REMINISCENCES    OF 

The  Commencement  occurs  on  Wednesday,  Aug.  6.  The  President 
delivers  his  Baccalaureate  on  Sunday,  the  3d  of  August.  I  am  expect- 
ing Lucretia,  Almeda  and  Sutton  here,  but  I  do  not  yet  know  what 
day  they  will  arrive.  I  wish  you  would,  at  the  earliest  moment,  let  me 
know  what  day  you  will  be  here,  and  I  will  try  to  have  arrangements 
There  will  be  a  great  crowd. 

I  rejoice  with  Mary  in  the  prospect  of  so  soon  seeing  again  the 
home  of  her  childhood.  May  she  have  a  safe  and  happy  journey.  I 
have  not  yet  fully  closed  a  bargain  with  the  Eclectic,  and  am  not  fully 
certain  as  to  the  conclusion. 

Give  my  love  to  all  your  folks.  Excuse  this  great  haste,  and  please 
write  again  soon,  to  your  own  brother,  James. 

The  above  did  not  reach  me  until  the  evening  of 
July  7,  which  will  give  some  idea  of  the  increased  rap- 
idity of  our  mail  service  over  that  of  thirty  years  ago. 
A  letter  from  Williamstown  now  should  reach  Misha- 
waka  the  next  day. 

On  the  30th  of  June  Mrs.  Fuller  had  left  for  a  visit 
to  her  old  home  in  Butler,  which  she  had  left  eighteen 
months  before.  As  I  could  not  leave  my  business  for 
a  long  period,  I  deferred  my  departure  until  July  18. 
As  I  stopped  on  my  journey,  to  visit  friends  at  Syl- 
vania,  Ohio,  and  at  Williamsville,  N.  Y.,  I  did  not 
reach  Butler  until  the  23d,  and  on  the  28th  I  received 
the  following  letter  from  Mr.  Garfield  : 

Poestenkill,  Rens.  Co.,  "I 
July  25,  1856.  / 
My  Dear  Corydon : — Your  last  welcome  letter  was  received  a  short 
time  since,  having  been  forwarded  from  Williams.  I  have  been  here 
all  the  time  since  the  16th  inst.,  trying  to  recruit  my  exhausted  powers. 
I  have  done  little  but  to  sleep  and  lounge.  To-day  I  go  to  Troy,  where 
I  expect  to  meet  Lucretia.  I  shall  remain  here  until  next  Saturday 
week,  when  I  hope  to  meet  you  at  Williamstown.  I  am  rejoiced  to 
know  that  we  are  so  soon  to  meet.  I  have  not  now  time  to  tell  you 
half  that  is  in  my  heart.  I  shall  be  in  Troy  early  Saturday  morning, 
and  shall  expect  to  find  you  and  Mary  on  the  8  o'clock  (a.  m.)  train, 
and  we  will  go  to  Williamstown  together.     Should  we  miss  each  other 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  227 

you  can  stop  at  the  "  Mansion  House,"  in  Williamstown,  till  I  arrive, 
and  then  we  will  go  to  our  rooms.  I  have  engaged  a  couple  of  pleasant 
chambers  in  a  private  house  (Mrs.  Mills')  near  the  "Mansion  House," 
one  for  you  and  Mary,  and  one  for  Lucretia  and  Rebecca  I.  Selleck,  a 
newly-found  sister — a  noble  Connecticut  girl. 

In  the  hurry  and  bustle  of  the  examination,  and  the  weariness  that 
followed,  I  have  but  poorly  prepared  myself  for  the  duties  of  Com- 
mencement Day.  However,  I  hope  to  do  something.  I  shall  try  to 
make  it  so  that  we.  can  have  a  few  drives  among  the  pleasant  scenery 
of  Williams. 

Excuse  this  hurried  note.  The  carriage  is  waiting  to  take  me  Jo 
Troy,  and  I  must  close  this  immediately.  Love  to  Mary  and  her  folks, 
and  all  the  brethren  who  may  inquire  for  me. 

In  hopes  of  meeting  you  soon,  I  am,  in  great  haste, 
Your  brother, 

James. 

On  the  morning  of  Friday,  August  i,  1856,  Mrs. 
Fuller  and  I  left  Butler,  bound  for  Williamstown.  After 
a  pleasant  ride  of  eleven  miles  we  reached  Clyde,  a 
thrifty  village  on  the  line  of  the  New  York  Central 
Railroad,  where  we  took  our  seats  in  the  cars,  and 
reached  Troy  at  8  o'clock  in  the  evening.  For  the 
events  of  the  next  few  days  I  am  much  indebted  to  my 
journal,  and  I  shall  transcribe  from  its  faded  pages  the 
account  then  written,  supplementing  the  same  with  such 
facts  as  my  memory  thus  refreshed  may  furnish. 

Saturday,  August  2  : 

Arose  early,  and  s6on  after  breakfast  proceeded  to  the  depot, 
which  was  only  a  few  rods  distant,  and  after  waiting  half  an  hour  or 
more,  James  arrived,  and  I  assisted  him  a  little,  by  getting  his  baggage 
checked,  etc,  while  he  went  for  Lucretia  and  Miss  Rebecca  I.  Selleck. 
He  soon  returned  with  them,  and  we  immediately  took  our  seats  in 
the  Troy  and  Boston  cars,  and  soon  were  on  our  way  to  Hoosick  Falls, 
where  we  arrived  in  due  season.  Several  students  were  on  the  train, 
and  some  more  important  individuals.  A  brother  of  the  poet,  John 
G.  Saxe,  was  among  them,  and  an  old  man  named  Halsey,  who  gradu- 
ated at  Williams  in  1811,  or  forty-five  years  since,  and  had  revisited 
the  college  but  once  since,  and  that  was  forty  years  ago. 


228  REMINISCENCES    OF 

The  stage  from  Hoosick  Falls  to  Williamstown  was  very  heavily 
loaded,  a  part  of  the  way  having  nineteen  passengers  aboard  it.  The 
road  over  which  we  passed  is  an  extremely  romantic  one,  and  abounds 
in  varied  and  beautiful  scenery.  It  is  environed  by  mountains,  and 
winds  along  through  the  pleasant  valley  at  their  feet. 

We  arrived  in  the  beautiful  village  of  Williamstown  at  3  o'clock 
p.  M.,  and  proceeded  immediately  to  the  rooms  which  James  had  en- 
gaged for  us  at  Mrs.  Mills'.  After  a  pleasant  visit  and  some  time 
spent  in  refreshing  wearied  nature,  we  all  took  a  walk  up  to  Stony 
Hill,  distant  a  little  more  than  a  mile  from  our  boarding  place.  It  af- 
fords a  fine  view  of  the  village,  and  of  the  circle  of  mountains  which 
are  around  it.  Soon  after  our  return  we  retired  to  rest,  to  recruit  our 
wearied  frames  for  the  pleasing  duties  of  the  approaching  morrow. 

It  is  as  dry  and  dusty  here  as  elsewhere. 

Sunday,  August  3  : 

In  the  forenoon  we  heard  a  sermon  from  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson,  and 
in  the  afternoon  the  President,  Mark  Hopkins,  D.  D.,  delivered  his 
baccalaureate  sermon,  which  was  a  very  interesting  and  eloquent  pro- 
duction. He  is  a  great  man,  and  seems  to  be  almost  adored  by  the 
students  as  well  as  the  Alumni.  In  the  evening  we  listened  to  Rev.  Dr. 
Cox.  He  is  an  eccentric  speaker  as  well  as  a  very  interesting  one,  and  I 
listened  to  him  till  a  late  hour  with  pleasure  and  profit.  He  is  quite  an 
old  man,  but  his  voice  is  clear  and  full,  and  he  sometimes  deals  in  wit 
and  withering  sarcasm,  as  well  as  logic. 

We  have  had  some  rain  to-day,  sufficient  to  lay  the  dust,  at  least. 

Monday,  August  4 : 

This  morning  James,  Lucretia,  Rebecca,  Mary  and  I  visited  many 
of  the  places  of  interest  around  the  College.  We  visited  the  chapel 
and  the  large  geological  and  mineralogical  cabinets,  examining  the  an- 
cient specimens  of  various  kinds  which  are  preserved  for  their  antiquity 
and  rarity.  The  collection  of  shells  and  crystals  is  much  the  largest  I 
have  ever  seen.  We  then  went  to  the  observatory,  but  we  saw  very 
little  there,  as  the  vines  which  run  over  the  whole  building  were  very 
wet. 

We  next  visited  the  Jackson  Hall,  which  has  recently  been  erected. 
It  is  designed  for  the  use  of  the  Society  of  Natural  History,  and  is  al- 
ready occupied  by  a  portion  of  the  cabinet  of  the  Society.  The  col- 
lection of  stuffed  animals  is  quite  extensive,  as  well  as  that  of  preserved 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  229 

birds,  reptiles  and  insects.  We  went  up  to  the  deck  of  the  building 
and  from  it  we  had  an  excellent  view  of  the  surrounding  country.  One 
chain  of  mountains  seems  to  surround  the  little  valley  in  which  nestles 
the  beautiful  village  of  Williamstown. 

The  girls  and  Mary  were  so  much  wearied  by  our  walk  that  they 
spent  most  of  the  afternoon  sleeping.  All  day  the  clouds  hung  over 
us,  and  we  have  had  a  number  of  showers. 

In  the  evening  we  all  attended  the  concert  of  the  Germania  Band 
from  Boston,  which  is  said  to  be  the  best  band  in  America.  Not  being 
a  good  judge  of  music  I  can  say  but  little  of  the  concert,  more  than  to 
echo  the  universal  judgment  of  those  who  heard  it  that  it  was  a  great 
triumph.     All  were  pleased,  and  nearly  all  delighted. 

Musicians  may  be  interested  in  the  programme  of 
the  great  concert,  and  I  transcribe  it  from  a  copy  I 
have  preserved : 

GERMANIA  CONCERT. 

WILLIAMSTOWN, 

Aug.  4,  1856. 

PROGRAMME. 
Part  First. 

1.  Overture — Fra  Diavolo Auber 

Orchestra. 

2.  Solo,  Flute Boehm 

By  H.  E.  Teltow. 

3.  Grand  Quickstep,  from  the  opera  of  II  Trovatore Verdi 

Brass  Band. 

4.  Waltz — "  Dreams  on  the  Ocean  " Gung'l 

Orchestra. 

5.  Solo,  Violoncello Romberg 

By  W.  Fries. 

6.  Champagner  Galop Lumbye 

Orchestra. 

Part  Second. 

I.  Wedding  March,  from  Midsummer  Night's  Dream Mendelssohn 

Brass  Band. 


23O  REMINISCENCES    OF 

2.  Solo,  Comet Handley 

By  A.  Pinter. 

3.  Carnival  of  Venice Riha 

Orchestra. 

4.  Solo,  Violin,  "  Sounds  from  Home  " Gung'l 

5.  Paulin  Polka Gung'l 

Orchestra. 

6.  Pot-pourri  of  Popular  Airs F.  Heinicke 

Brass  Band. 

The  rain,  which  fell  in  torrents  for  a  large  part  of 
the  time  we  spent  at  Williamstown,  and  interfered  sadly 
with  the  arrangements  and  plans  of  those  who  had 
charge  of  the  exercises  and  entertainments,  was  a  great 
disappointment  to  the  hundreds  of  visitors,  as  well  as 
to  the  citizens  and  students. 

Tuesday,  August  5  : 

This  was  devoted  to  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  American  Board 
of  Foreign  Missions,  the  great  Missionary  Jubilee.  Fifty  years  before 
a  few  earnest  Christian  students  had  met  under  the  shelter  of  a  hay- 
stack to  hold  a  prayer-meeting  for  the  conversion  of  the  heathen,  and 
from  their  apparently  feeble  beginning  had  grown  the  mighty  institu- 
tion which  had  planted  the  banner  of  the  cross  on  a  hundred  wild, 
barbarian  shores  ;  had  sent  out  a  great  host  of  devoted,  god-like  men 
and  women,  who  had  gone  as  the  spirit  of  their  Master  to  "rescue  the 
perishing"  from  the  degradation  and  darkness  of  paganism,  and  teach 
them  the  way  to  happiness  and  heaven.  David  Dudley  Field,  of  New 
York,  was  President  of  the  dav,  and  opened  the  exercises  by  an  elo- 
quent and  appropriate  address.  It  was  followed  by  the  singing  of  the 
hymn  : 

"  Let  all  the  heathen  writers  join 
To  form  one  perfect  book  ; 
Great  God,  if  once  compared  with  thine, 
How  mean  their  writings  look." 

This  was  the  same  hymn  sung  fifty  years  before,  at 
the  prayer-meeting  under  the  hay-stack. 

The  67th  Psalm  was  then  read,  and  a  prayer  offered 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  23 1 

by  Rev.  Timothy  Woodbridge,  D.  D.,  of  Spencertown, 
N.  Y.,  after  which  a  hymn  was  sung,  of  which  the  first 
verse  was : 

"  Saw  ye  not  the  clouds  arise, 
Little  as  a  human  hand  ? 
Now  it  spreads  along  the  skies — 
Hangs  o'er  all  the  thirsty  land." 

This  was  followed  by  the  Jubilee  Address,  by  Prof. 
Albert  Hopkins. 

The  exercises  of  the  forenoon  closed  with  the  sing- 
ing of  the  hymn  : 

"  Blow  ye  the  trumpet,  blow 

The  gladly  solemn  sound ; 
Let  all  the  nations  know, 

To  earth's  remotest  bound ; 
The  year  of  Jubilee  is  come, 
Return,  ye  ransomed  sinners,  home." 

The  afternoon  session  was  opened  by  singing 
"Coronation,"  and  prayer  by  Rev.  Chester  Dewey, 
D.  D.  Addresses  were  delivered  by  Pres.  Mark 
Hopkins,  Rev.  Dr.  Anderson,  ex-Gov.  George  N. 
Briggs,  Rev.  Dr.  Wyckoff,  Rev.  Dr.  Tyng,  ex-Gov. 
Washburn,  and  others. 

The  following  original  hymn  was  then  sung: 

Just  fifty  years  are  numbered, 

Since,  where  we  meet  to-day, 
A  little  band  of  Christians 

Were  gathered  oft  to  pray ; 
A  youthful  band  and  feeble, 

Nor  wealth  nor  fame  was  theirs ; 
Yet  here  with  God  they  wrestled, 

And  mighty  were  their  prayers. 

No  earthly  schemes  or  wishes 
Those  young  disciples  swayed, 


232  REMINISCENCES    Oi; 

,  And  led  their  feet  so  frequent 

To  seek  this  quiet  shade ; 

But  deep  within  their  bosoms 
A  holy  flame  burned  bright, 

Which  soon  'round  earth's  broad  circle 
Should  shed  its  glorious  light. 

The  love  that  moved  the  Saviour, 

That  drew  him  from  the  sky, 
Moved  them  with  tenderest  pity 

O'er  heathen  woes  to  sigh  ; 
They  yearned  with  quenchless  ardor 

Their  Master's  steps  to  tread, 
And  bear  his  parting  message 

To  lands  with  death  o'erspread. 

Now  pause  we  here  a  moment 

That  sacred  group  to  see ; 
Not  bending  'neath  the  covert 

Of  some  o'erarching  tree; 
A  hay- stack  forms  their  shadow 

From  careless  eyes  to  screen, 
Their  roof's  the  clear  blue  heaven, 

Their  carpet,  earth's  broad  green. 

Do  not  glad  angels  hover 

On  folded  wing  around  ? 
Bends  not  the  Saviour's  presence 

Above  this  hallowed  ground  ? 
Are  not  the  prayers  here  uttered, 

So  fervent  and  sincere, 
Breathed  from  each  pleader's  spirit 

Into  His  listening  ear? 

Where's  now  that  band  of  brothers? 

Some  found  an  early  grave 
Afar  from  home  and  kindred, 

Where  India's  palm  trees  wave, 
But  Ocean's  pitying  surges 

A  requiem  long  have  wept 
Above  the  dreary  chamber 

Where  Mills'  dust  has  slept. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  233 

Let  us  inscribe  their  tablet 

In  holy  thoughts  and  aim, 
In  high  and  earnest  effort 

To  spread  the  Saviour's  name ; 
To  keep  the  sacred  beacon 

They  kindled,  burning  bright, 
Till  lesser  flames  shall  vanish 

In  full  millennial  light. 

Oh !  watch  there  not  around  us 

A  glorious  train  to-day, 
Of  those  who  caught  their  mantle 

And  walked  their  holy  way  ? 
And  hear  we  not  their  voices 

Call  us  from  sloth  to  rise, 
To  follow  in  their  footsteps 

And  meet  them  in  the  skies? 

The  singing  of  this  hymn  was  followed  by  short 
addresses  from  missionaries  from  Constantinople, 
Madras,  the  Sandwich  Islands,  Ceylon,  etc.,  after 
which  the  following  hymn  was  sung  to  the  tune  of  Old 
Hundred : 

Jesus  shall  reign  where'er  the  sun 
Does  his  successive  journeys  run ; 
His  kingdom  stretch  from  shore  to  shore 
Till  moons  shall  wax  and  wane  no  more. 

Behold  the  islands  with  their  kings, 
And  Europe  her  best  tribute  brings; 
From  north  to  south  the  princes  meet, 
And  pay  their  homage  at  his  feet. 

There  Persia,  glorious  to  behold — 
There  India  shines  in  Eastern  gold ; 
And  barbarous  nations,  at  his  word, 
Submit  and  bow,  and  own  their  Lord. 

Let  every  creature  rise  and  bring 
Peculiar  honors  to  their  King ; 
Angels  descend  with  songs  again, 
And  earth  repeat  the  loud  Amen. 


234  REMINISCENCES    OF 

The  exercises  of  the  day  were  of  great  interest,  and 
the  audience  remained  until  the  close,  with  scarcely  an 
exception. 

The  evening  was  devoted  to  the  Prize  Rhetorical 
Exhibition.  The  Junior,  Sophomore  and  Freshman 
classes  each  furnished  three  speakers,  and  the  best  of 
each  class  received  prizes.  Some  of  the  orations  were 
very  good,  though  not  of  a  remarkable  character. 

The  exercises  closed  with  an  excellent  oration  by 
Prof.  F.  D.  Huntington,  of  Harvard  University.  He 
commenced  speaking  at  fifteen  minutes  before  10 
o'clock  p.  m.,  to  an  audience  which  had  been  listening 
to  speeches  since  9  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  yet 
succeeded  in  gaining  and  holding  the  attention  of 
nearly  every  one  until  he  closed.  I  know  of  no  higher 
compliment  to  give  a  speaker. 

All  day  the  rain  was  falling,  and  the  streets  were 
almost  impassable. 

The  great  Commencement  day,  with  its  crowded 
programme,  mnst  be  reserved  for  another  chapter. 


Cs&^l^  c4j    &cc4j&i{c£< 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

MR.    GARFIELD    GRADUATES   WITH    HIGH    HONORS. POLITI- 
CAL   CANVASS    OF    1856. 

The  notable  day,  Wednesday,  Aug.  6,  1856,  had 
arrived,  but  it  came  in  storm  and  tempest.  The  moun- 
tain tops  were  hidden  in  misty  clouds,  and  the  valley 
was  dark  and  dismal.  For  three  days  the  windows  of 
heaven  had  been  open,  but  the  blessings  poured  forth 
came,  I  fear,  upon  an  unthankful  people. 

For  five  years  this  had  been  the  day  to  which  Mr. 
Garfield  looked  forward  with  hope  and  determination ; 
to  be  worthy  of  its  honors,  and  of  a  place  among  the 
illustrious  men  whom  Williams  had  sent  forth  to  bless 
the  world,  had  been  a  high  object  of  his  ambition.  But 
at  one  time,  when  the  end  was  at  hand,  he  almost 
decided  to  deny  himself  the  pleasure  of  being  enrolled 
among  the  graduates  of  the  College.  His  purse  was 
nearly  empty.  To  graduate  would  require  a  consider- 
able expenditure,  and  he  called  upon  the  venerable 
President  and  announced  his  purpose,  and  when  pressed 
for  his  reason  he  frankly  gave  it?  The  President  at 
once  placed  in  his  hand,  as  a  loan,  a  sum  sufficient  for 
his  needs,  which  I  need  not  say  was  repaid  in  due  time, 
but  his  grateful  remembrance  of  the  kindness  was  life- 
long. 

At  half-past  nine  o'clock  a.  m.  the  officers  of  the  col- 
lege, the  students  and  many  of  the  visitors  marched  in 


236  REMINISCEIS'CES    OF 

procession  from  the  chapel  to  the  spacious  church 
where  the  exercises  of  the  sixty-second  Commence- 
ment of  Williams  College  were  to  be  held.  • 

After  prayer  by  the  President,  and  music,  we  lis- 
tened to  orations  from  the  several  gentlemen  of  the 
graduating  class  who  were  entitled  to  that  honor. 
Some  of  them  were  very  good,  though  the  reporter  for 
the  Springfield  Republican  stated  that  "few  of  them 
were  decidedly  brilliant,"  and  I  think  he  was  right. 

There  were  nineteen  orations  before  that  of  Mr. 
Garfield,  his  being  the  twentieth.  As  announced  in  the 
program,  it  was:  "Metaphysical  Oration — Matter  and 
Spirit,"  James  A.  Garfield,  Hiram,  Ohio. 

President  Hopkins  sat  in  the  high  pulpit,  and  the 
speaker  stood  on  the  platform  before  and  below  him. 
From  the  first,  Mr.  Garfield  commanded  the  attention 
of  the  entire  audience,  and  as  his  eloquent  sentences 
filled  the  great  church,  and  he  grew  earnest  under  the 
inspiration  of  the  occasion,  the  President  leaned  forward 
and  looked  down  upon  the  stalwart  orator  with  the 
pride  and  affection  he  might  have  felt  for  a. son.  When 
Garfield  reached  his  peroration,  and  finally  closed  his 
speech,  the  church  shook  with  the  thunder  of  applause, 
and  dozens  of  bouquets  were  showered  at  his  feet. 
Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  audience  were  impa- 
tient for  dinner,  and  had  been  restless  during  several  of 
the  preceding  speeches,  he  had  been  successful  in  secur- 
ing the  favor  of  all,  and  the  universal  verdict  was  that 
his  was  the  great  oration  of  the  day.  The  reporter  be- 
fore referred  to  was  enthusiastic  in  his  compliments,  and 
subsequent  notices  of  the  Commencement  in  the  great 
papers  of  Boston  were  equally  complimentary. 

The  afternoon  was  filled  with  the  remaining  orations, 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  237 

there  being  twenty-nine  in  all  during  the  day.  The 
valedictory  was  by  Charles  S.  Halsey,  and  was  very 
fine.  At  its  close  the  degrees  were  conferred  and  the 
audience  dispersed. 

There  was  a  reception  for  the  alumni  and  students 
at  the  residence  of  the  President  in  the  evening,  and 
when  it  was  over  Mr.  Garfield  was  busy  till  long  past 
midnight  in  settling  up  the  affairs  of  the  Quarterly.  It 
had  failed  to  pay  expenses,  and  the  editors  were 
assessed  some  ten  dollars  each  to  meet  the  deficiency. 

The  next  day  we  left  for  home,  and  at  Troy  Mr. 
Garfield  and  his  companions  bade  us  good-by,  going  to 
Poestenkill,  while  Mrs.  Fuller  and  I  continued  our 
journey  as  far  as  Clyde,  and  thence  to  Butler.  It  was 
more  than  four  years  before  I  again  saw  Mr.  Garfield. 

Mrs.  Fuller  and  I  remained  with  our  friends  in  But- 
ler until  the  18th,  when  we  started  for  home.  From 
Buffalo  to  Toledo  we  were  passengers  on  the  steamer 
"Western  Metropolis,"  that  being  her  fifth  trip,  and 
we  pronounced  her  the  finest  boat  we  had  ever  seen. 
We  reached  home  on  Wednesday  morning,  Aug.  20. 

A  few  days  later  I  received  the  following  letter : 

Hiram,  Monday,  Sept.  8,  1856. 

My  Dear  Corydon : — I  have  just  this  moment  returned  from  the 
yeaily  meeting  at  Chagrin  Falls,  where  I  had  the  most  confident  expec- 
tation of  seeing  you,  and  especially  so  because  I  had  not  heard  from 
you.  But  I  saw  your  father  there,  and  found  that  you  had  gone  home 
shortly  after  I  saw  you.  I  feel  very  badly  indeed  that  you  have  gone 
away  without  our  having- a  longer  and  more  satisfactory  visit.  It  seems 
as  if  everything  had  stood  up  in  the  way  during  the  few  days  we  were 
together, to  hinder  us  from  having  all  the  quiet  hours  I  had  hoped  we 
would  have.  But  I  shall  hope  that  before  many  months  we  may  have 
an  opportunity  to  bring  up  the  unwritten  chapters  of  our  lives  more 
fully  than  we  then  did. 

After  I  left  you,  I  was  quite  unwell  for  several  days,  and,  indeed, 


238  REMINISCENCES    OF 

I  am  not  yet  fully  recovered  from  the  severe  labor  of  the  last  college 
term. 

We  left  Troy  the  Tuesday  after  you  left  us,  and  spent  Wednesday 
at  the  Falls.  Took  the  Buffalo  boat  that  evening,  and  the  next  morn- 
ing were  in  Cleveland.  From  there  I  went  to  Solon  to  see  mother.  I 
spent  the  time  until  Monday  among  my  friends,  and  then  came  here. 
Since  that  time  I  have  been  constantly  at  work  in  the  school.  We  have 
about  275  scholars,  and  about  the  same  amount  of  drudgery  that  we 

always  had  here.     Sutton  is  away  most  of  the  time,  and  can't 

govern,  and  I  won't,  under  present  arrangements.  I  want  very  much 
to  give  you  a  view  of  the  state  of  things  in  Ohio  in  general  and  Hiram 
in  particular.  There  are  many  undercurrents  of  maneuvering  that 
never  see  the  light.  I  am  inclined  to  say  with  Shakespeare,  "There's 
something  rotten  in  the  State  of  Denmark." 

My  stay  here  will  certainly  be  very  short ;  no  longer  at  most  than 
the  year  for  which  I  have  engaged  Had  I  known  before  all  I  now 
know,  I  would  not  have  come  here  at  all.  But  I  am  in  for  it  now  for 
a  time. 

I  had  but  a  moment  to  see  your  father  at  the  meeting,  and  was 
there  myself  only  on  Sunday.  I  am  anxious  to  hear  from  you,  and  to 
know  how  you  got  home  and  what  you  are  doing.  Lest  I  may  not  get 
this  out  in  to-day's  mail,  I  will  stop  and  take  it  to  the  office.  My  love 
to  Mary  and  your  folks,  and  believe  me,  as  ever, 
Your  own  brother, 

James. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  famous  political  can- 
vass which  resulted  in  the  choice  of  James  Buchanan  as 
President  of  the  United  States,  over  John  C.  Fremont, 
was  at  this  time  in  progress.  The  Democratic  National 
Convention  had  been  held  at  Cincinnati,  June  6,  and 
had  indorsed  the  Fugitive  Slave  Law,  the  repeal  of  the 
Missouri  Compromise,  and  every  other  demand  of  the 
insolent  and  aggressive  slave  power. 

On  the  17th  of  June  the  first  National  Convention 
of  the  Republican  party  met  at  Philadelphia.  Its 
platform  was  a  bold  and  manly  declaration  of  the  im- 
mortal principles  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  239 

which  were  expressed  is  no  uncertain  terms.  Its  right- 
eous words  rang  like  a  bugle  call,  marshaling  the 
friends  of  human  rights  for  the  fierce  and  desperate  con- 
flict impending  between  freedom  and  slavery.  It  also 
declared  in  favor  of  the  building  of  a  railroad  to  the 
Pacific  and  the  improvement  of  rivers  and  harbors.  Its 
candidate,  Col.  John  C.  Fremont,  was  famous  at  that 
time  as  the  "Path  Finder,"  the  gallant  explorer  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  and  he  commanded  the  enthusiastic 
support  of  the  giant  young  party  which  was  destined 
four  years  later  to  place  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  Presi- 
dent's chair. 

In  May  the  same  year,  Preston  S.  Brooks,  a  Repre- 
sentative from  South  Carolina,  had  entered  the  Senate 
chamber  during  a  recess  of  the  Senate,  and  finding 
Charles  Sumner,  of  Massachusetts,  sitting  at  his  desk 
writing,  totally  unconscious  of  danger,  had  struck  him 
repeatedly  with  a  heavy  cane,  and  left  him  senseless 
and  bleeding  on  the  floor  of  the  American  Senate. 
For  this  murderous  assault  upon  a  defenseless  man, 
greatly  his  senior,  the  pro-slavery  court  at  Washington 
imposed  upon  the  blood-thirsty  ruffian  a  fine  of  three 
hundred  dollars.  The  House  of  representatives  refused 
to  expel  him,  but  passed  a  vote  of  censure,  whereupon 
he  resigned,  and  his  admiring  constituents  at  once 
unanimously  reelected  him  to  his  seat. 

Upon  this  occasion  the  students  at  Williams  College 
had  held  an  indignation  meeting,  and  Mr.  Grafield 
made  one  of  the  speeches,  fitly  characterizing  the  cow- 
ardly and  brutal  deed  of  the  slave-driver.  He  became 
thoroughly  awakened  to  the  impending  struggle,  and 
after  his  return  to  Hiram,  took  an  active  part  in  the  can- 
vass, as  will  be  seen  from  the  following  letter: 


24O  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Hiram,  Nov.  9,  1856. 

My  Dear  Corydon  : — I  have  long  neglected  to  answer  your  last 
welcome  letter,  and  for  reasons  which  I  know  you  will  consider  suffi- 
cient. Though  very  much  tired  out,  as  you  know,  when  I  returned 
from  Williams,  yet  I  have  delivered  forty  addresses  since  then,  and 
taught  six  classes  per  day  in  the  school.  In  the  great  political  issue  of 
the  day,  I  felt  myself  justified  in  taking  an  active  part,  and  the  moment 
I  was  fairly  afloat  I  had  more  calls  to  speak  than  I  could  respond  to. 
I  held  three  debates — the  chief  one  at  Garrettsville.  The  Democrats 
challenged  me  to  meet  any  speaker  they  might  choose  in  Portage 
county,  for  they  were  not  satisfied  with  their  champion  (a  Warren  law- 
yer), with  whom  I  had  debated  there  before.  I  accepted  and  they 
chose  the  strongest  Democrat  in  the  county — the  editor  of  the  Portage 
Sentinel.  We  had  an  immense  audience  and  made  three  speeches  each. 
The  Republican  papers  said  he  was  demolished  and  his  Democratic 
friends  did  not  deny  it. 

I  have  delivered  twenty-six  lectures  before  the  school  and  several 
in  the  churches,  making  forty  in  all,  as  I  before  stated.  In  doing  this 
I  have  been  obliged  to  neglect  all  correspondents,  and  even  now  I  have 
only  a  breathing  spell  of  a  week.  I  don't  intend  to  do  as  much  next 
term,  but  I  have  a  very  poor  faculty  of  getting  rid  of  work,  and  I  pre- 
sume I  shall  do  all  that  is  piled  on. 

I  am  greatly  pleased  with  your  serial  articles  which  are  appearing 
in  the  News  Boy,  and  I  hope  you  will  continue  them  along  down  to 
your  last  trip  in  New  England.  You  can  make  them  very  interesting, 
I  think.  By  the  way,  Cousin  Ellis  is  making  the  News  Boy  quite  a  fair 
paper,  though  he  has  not  the  fire  I  like  to  see  in  an  editor.  There  are 
but  few  papers  here  in  the  West  conducted  with  that  talent  which  that 
important  field  demands.  What  do  you  think  about  entering  that 
field?  I  have  long  thought  you  would  succeed  admirably  in  catching 
the  cue  of  the  times  and  leading  your  patrons  along  with  you.  I  think 
it  might  be  made  a  useful  and  profitable  business.  What  think  you? 
I  have  often  thought  I  should  like  to  try  conducting  a  paper. 

Let  me  hear  from  you  as  soon  as  you  can.     As  ever,  your  brother, 

James. 

The  foregoing  letter  was  written  five  days  after  the 
election,  which  resulted  in  the  triumph  of  James  Buch- 
anan, he  having  carried  nineteen  States,  John  C.  Fre- 
mont eleven,  and  Millard  Fillmore  one  State.      In  the 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  241 

meantime  I  was  busily  employed  in  the  store,  but  was 
becoming  very  discontented.  I  had  begun  to  see 
clearly  that  our  experiment  at  merchandising  was  likely 
to  prove  a  disastrous  failure  ;  that  it  would  be  impossi- 
ble to  meet  our  maturing  notes  was  so  plain  that  no 
amount  of  inexperience  could  longer  conceal  the  fact. 
I  lost  a  year  of  precious  time,  and  the  only  compensa- 
tion, aside  from  bare  livelihood  and  some  valuable 
experience,  was  the  probability  of  being  involved  in  a 
hopeless  load  of  debt,  and  the  disgrace  attending  an 
unwise  and  fruitless  enterprise. 

About  the  same  time  Mr.  Garfield's  letter  was  writ- 
ten I  had  written  to  him,  and  by  a  strange  coincidence 
had  asked  his  opinion  of  my  prospects  of  success  in  the 
newspaper  business,  if  I  could  obtain  employment  in 
some  office.    In  due  time  I  received  the  following  letter : 

Solon,  Dec.  14,  1856. 

My  Dear  Corydon : — Your  last  kind  favor  was  received  while  I  was 
in  the  midst  of  the  work  of  preparing  a  lecture  on  "  Education,"  to  be 
delivered  here  at  Solon.  About  midnight  of  the  night  before  it  was  to 
be  delivered,  I  had  nearly  finished  it,  and  had  retired  for  the  night. 
By  the  carelessness  of  another  person,  the  fluid  lamp  caught  fire,  and 
my  lecture  was  all  burned  up.  The  next  morning  I  commenced  to 
write  another,  and  after  the  duty  of  the  school  was  done,  I  sat  down, 
and  by  seven  o'clock  next  morning  I  had  written  one  of  an  hpur's 
length,  and  Friday  evening  I  delivered  it.  To-day  I  spoke  here  in  the 
the  church  at  Solon.  In  the  morning  I  shall  return  by  the  first  train 
to  Hiram. 

We  have  a  school  of  about  180  students,  and  are  doing  quite  well. 
I  have  all  the  influence  there  I  could  ask,  but  you  know  I  am  not  con- 
tented to  stay  there.  ...  As  soon  as  this  year  is  out  I  shall  have 
different  surroundings,  even  if  I  have  to  go  away  to  make  them  dif- 
ferent. 

What  my  course  of  life  will  be  is  an  extremely  doubtful  question. 
There  are  many  dark  clouds  hanging  over  my  spirit  at  times,  and  I  do 
not  know  whether  1  am  in  the  morning  or  the  evening  twilight.  I 
sometimes  think  that  my  twilight  tints  are  fading  rather  than  brighten- 


242  REMINISCENCES    OF 

ing.  Whether  there  is  light  or  darkness  behind  the  cloud,  God 
knoweth. 

It  was  indeed  a  singular  coincidence  that  we  should  both  have 
written  on  the  same  theme  without  knowing  each  other's  feelings  upon 
it.  But  I  have  for  a  long  time  thought  it  would  be  the  best  thing  you 
could  do.  What  for  a  plan  would  it  be  to  buy  out  some  paper  of  fair 
reputation  and  retain  the  hands  in  the  printing  office,  and  have  some- 
thing of  a  start  to  begin  with.  I  do  not  know  how  the  East  and  West 
compare  in  this  respect. 

Do  you  know  whether  's  paper  pays  or  not  ?     You  know  he 

is  more  skillful  with  the  scissors  than  the  pen.  It  seems  to  me  he  might 
put  more  fire  into  his  paper.  Why  can  not  a  man  learn  to  catch  the 
cue  of  the  times  to  rise  on  it  ? 

I  hope  you  will  continue  the  romance  of  your  life  in  the  News  Boy. 
Many  thanks  to  Mary  for  her  kind  letter  in  yours.  Hoping  to  hear 
again  soon,  I  am  always  yours,  James. 

I  do  not  care  to  dwell  upon  the  dark  days  of  No- 
vember and  December,  1856.  With  the  dying  year 
our  disastrous  career  at  merchandising  came  to  a  close  ; 
the  hard  earnings  of  more  than  ten  of  the  best  years  of 
my  father's  life  had  been  sunk,  and  with  a  great  load  of 
debt,  and  the  weight  of  fifty  years,  he  was  to  com- 
mence again  the  hard  battle  of  life.  For  myself,  I  had 
nothing  to  lose,  as  I  was,  and  always  had  been,  desti- 
tute of  wealth,  even  in  a  small  degree,  and  my  princi- 
pal concern  was  for  my  father  and  mother.  It  seemed 
hard  that  the  fruits  of  the  heroic  struggle  through 
which  they  had  passed,  since  they  left  Ohio  in  1845, 
and  the  splendid  success  which  they  had  achieved, 
should  now  be  swept  away  and  they  should  be  crushed 
beneath  a  load  which  they  could  never  hope  to  remove. 

I  was  employed  by  our  successor  during  the  remain- 
der of  the  winter,  in  assisting  to  settle  the  business, 
make  collections,  and  keep  books  ;  and  in  the  mean- 
time, was  laying  many  plans  for  the  future.  I  kept  up 
my  correspondence  and  wrote  freely  in  my  journal. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  243 

I  noted  my  indignation,  as  well  as  that  of  many  of 
my  friends,  at  the  dastardly  and  insulting  message  of 
President  Pierce  on  the  assembling  of  Congress  in  De- 
cember. For  complete  and  unblushing  surrender  of 
every  manly  conviction,  and  entire  subserviency  to  the 
slave-holding  oligarchy,  he  could  have  no  superior,  and 
heaven  is  to  be  thanked  that  he  had  few  equals. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

LIFE    IN    ARKANSAS. SLAVERY    IN    1 85 7. 

On  February  7,  I  received  the  following  letter: 

Hiram,  Feb.  3,  1857. 
Dear  Bro.  Cory  don : — Nearly  four  weeks  ago  your  welcome  letter  was 
received,  and  I  should  have  answered  it  sooner  if  it  had  been  possible.  For 
the  last  two  weeks  I  have  scarcely  touched  my  pen  at  all.  We  have  been 
holding  a  meeting  day  and  evening,  and  it  just  closed  Sunday  evening.  I 
have  never  seen  a  more  happy  meeting  than  that.  Theie  were  thirty-eight 
immersions,  and  three  were  reclaimed.  I  spoke  more  or  less  every  day,  and 
delivered  several  full  discourses,  and  this,  together  with  my  labor  in  the 
school,  has  worn  me  down  considerably;  but  still  my  health  is  good,  and 
my  throat  is  no  worse  than  when  the  meeting  began.  The  flower  of  our 
school  was  turned  to  the  gospel,  and  the  hands  and  hearts  of  the  church 
were  much  strengthened.  I  wish  you  and  Mary  could  have,  been  with  us 
to  enjoy  it. 

I  was  very  sorry  to  learn  that  you  had  been  unfortunate  in  business ; 
but,  my  dear  brother,  you  need  not  have  told  me  that  your  course  was  hon- 
orable, because  I  know  that  it  has  always  been  and  always  will  be  while  the 
heavens  stand.     I  hope  the  loss  will  not  be  irretrievable. 

I  formed  a  very  pleasant  acquaintance  with  Bro.  Baldwin,  of  Chicago, 
whom,  I  presume,  you  have  seen  since  he  was  here.  He  spoke  very  affec- 
tionately of  you.  He  spoke  to  me  in  regard  to  going  to  Mishawaka  to  hold 
a  meeting  during  the  coming  vacation,  if  the  church  had  not  employed  some 
one  else.  I  thought,  however,  from  the  whole  premises,  that  they  would  not 
want  me.  Now,  Corydon,  if  you  think  I  could  do  any  good,  and  it  would 
be  the  best  plan  for  the  church,  tell  me  so.  I  want  you  to  be  very  frank 
with  me  about  it.  If  I  go  there,  I  want  to  know  it  as  soon  as  possible,  for 
I  have  a  call  to  hold  a  meeting  in  Solon.     Please  write  to  me  soon. 

Will  you  pardon  this  short  letter  for  I  have  a  dozen  to  write  immedi- 
ately.    Love  to  all  your  folks,  and  to  Bro.  Kilby.     As  ever, 
Your  brother, 

James. 
244 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  245 

Of  course,  I  answered  the  above  letter  promptly, 
but  the  project  of  a  meeting  -at  Mishawaka  was  not 
realized,  for  what  reason  I  can  not  recall. 

I  spent  the  remainder  of  the  winter  in  the  employ- 
ment of  George  Milburn,  the  great  wagon  manufacturer, 
who  at  that  time  carried  on  his  large  business  at  Mish- 
awaka. But  I  was  not  contented,  and  finally  deter- 
mined to  accept  the  agency  of  J.  H.  Colton's  Great 
Atlas,  for  the  southern  part  of  the  State  of  Arkansas. 
It  was  a  work  of  merit,  and  was  sold  only  by  subscrip- 
tion, at  $15  per  copy,  in  one  volume,  or  $27  to  $30  in 
two  volumes. 

On  Monday  morning,  the  13th  of  April,  1857,  Mrs. 
Fuller  and  I  left  Mishawaka,  bound  for  Southern  Arkan- 
sas. We  reached  St.  Louis  the  next  morning,  and  at 
4  o'clock  p.  m.  went  on  board  the  steamer  H.  R.  W. 
Hill,  which,  however,  did  not  leave  the  city  until  10 
o'clock  the  next  morning.  We  left  home  in  a  snow- 
storm, but  a  hundred  miles  below  St.  Louis  the  peach 
trees  were  in  full  bloom.  The  pages  of  my  journal 
betray  the  vibration  of  the  great  steamer  under  the 
mighty  strokes  of  her  paddle  wheels,  as  we  hurried 
down  the  Mississippi.  Thursday  morning  we  reached 
Cairo,  and  at  noon  the  village  of  Hickman,  Ky. ,  where 
we  remained  until  night,  the  steamer  adding  to  her 
freight  some  three  hundred  hogsheads  of  tobacco  and 
a  few  bales  of  cotton.  It  was  our  first  trip  on  the  great 
river ;  our  first  sight  of  slaves  working  at  their  tasks ; 
and  the  journey  was  anything  but  monotonous. 

On  Saturday  we  reached  the  city  of  Memphis,  and 
Sunday  morning  at  an  early  hour  we  reached  our  desti- 
nation— the  town  of  Napoleon,  Ark.  We  had  heard 
of  it  before  ;  of  its  being  the  haunt  of  thieves,  robbers, 


246  REMINISCENCES    OF 

cut-throats  and  pirates ;  the  chosen  rendezvous  of  the 
villains  and  outlaws  of  the  Southwest ;  but  that  bright 
Sunday  morning,  as  we  looked  upon  the  reality,  we 
were  disposed  to  exclaim  with  the  Queen  of  Sheba,  that 
the  half  had  not  been  told  us. 

We  sought  accommodation  at  one  of  the  hotels — 
the  Arkansas  Hotel.  There  was  only  one  other  in 
town,  and  we  wished  we  had  selected  that.  The  town 
was  more  wretched  and  dilapidated  than  any  we  had 
ever  seen.  In  all  the  great  North  there  was  nothing 
like  it.  The  curse  of  God  seemed  to  have  struck  it ; 
everything  was  hideous  and  mean.  A  few  slaves  were 
at  work ;  ruffians  were  gathered  about  the  doors  of 
grogshops  ;  the  only  white  men  who  seemed  to  be  em- 
ployed were  the  devil's  clerks  who  were  selling  liquid 
fire  to  the  ragged  and  dirty  vagabonds  who  sojourned 
in  the  accursed  town.  We  had  been  for  a  week  enjoy- 
ing the  comforts  of  a  fine  steamer,  and  the  change  was 
such  as  we  imagined  an  angel  might  find  if  banished 
from  Paradise  to  Hades. 

The  beautiful  spring  was  already  clothing  the  trees 
in  green  robes  of  beauty  ;  roses  were  in  full  bloom  ; 
all  nature  seemed  glorious  in  the  warm  sunlight.  It 
was  the  glad  morning  of  the  First  Day  of  the  Week, 
and  we  looked  about  for  a  church  or  a  place  of  worship, 
hopeful  of  finding  even  in  this  Sodom  some  stray  saints 
whose  presence  might  be  an  assurance  of  immunity 
from  the  fate  of  its  illustrious  prototype.  We  found  a 
rude  hut,  with  neither  doors  nor  windows  ;  a  sad-faced 
young  missionary  had  come  among  the  heathen,  but  his 
only  hearers  that  day,  aside  from  ourselves,  were  a  few 
wretched  old  slaves.  The  white  people  "feared  not 
God  nor  regarded  man." 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  247 

We  had  expected  to  meet  Mr.  Edward  L.  Craw,  of 
Butler,  N.  Y.,  here  at  Napoleon,  but  we  found  he  had 
gone  up  the  river  to  Helena,  and  during  the  afternoon 
we  hailed  a  boat  northward  bound,  and,  with  a  fervent 
thanksgiving  for  our  escape  from  this  earthly  hell, 
where  red-handed  murder  was  deemed  a  merit  rather 
than  a  crime,  we  went  on  board.  A  few  years  later,  I 
am  rejoiced  to  say,  the  great  river  swallowed  the  town, 
and  blotted  from  the  face  of  the  earth  the  spot  it  had 
polluted. 

We  arrived  at  Helena  on  Monday,  and  found  our 
friend,  who  was  the  agent  of  Messrs.  Colton  for  the 
north  part  of  the  State,  and  from  whom  I  was  to  ob- 
tain my  outfit  and  the  necessary  instructions.  We 
found  Helena  a  very  pleasant  Southern  town.  The 
hotel  of  Landlord  McGraw  was  good  enough  for  any 
one  not  too  fastidious,  and  we  were  not,  after  our  ex- 
perience at  Napoleon. 

That  afternoon,  April  20,  Mr.  Craw  and  I  visited  the 
plantation  of  Gen.  Gideon  J.  Pillow,  which  contained 
about  five  thousand  acres,  and  upon  which  were  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  slaves.  It  was  my  first  visit  to 
a  great  plantation.  The  cotton  was  just  coming  Out  of 
the  ground,  and  we  learned  that  four  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  had  been  planted.  The  owner  was  not  there,  and 
I  am  not  sure  that  he  ever  spent  much  time  there.  The 
plantation  was  in  charge  of  an  overseer,  who  appeared 
to  us  to  be  an  estimable  gentleman.  I  was  much  in- 
terested in  all  that  I  saw,  as  all  was  new  and  strange. 

We  remained  at  Helena  until  Thursday,  the  23d, 
when  we  took  passage  on  the  steamer  Baltic  for  Colum- 
bia, Chicot  county,  Ark.  We  reached  our  destination 
on  Friday,   at  3  o'clock  p.  m.,  and  found  the  town  a 


248  REMINISCENCES    OF 

small  affair,  though  better  than  Napoleon.  I  describe 
it  in  my  journal  as  "a  little,  decayed  and  perishing 
wreck  of  a  town.  The  bank  of  the  river  is  covered 
with  logs,  snags  and  other  relics  of  forgotten  forests, 
so  that  the  boats  find  difficulty  in  effecting  a  safe  land- 
ing. All  is  going  to  decay,  and  will  soon  pass  into  the 
hands  of  some  planter  and  be  covered  with  the  snowy 
cotton.  The  county-seat  has  been  removed  to  Lake 
Village,  some  ten  miles  distant.  We  stopped  at  the 
'Planters'  Hotel,'  an  unpretending  edifice,  old  and 
rickety,  half  the  glass  out  of  the  windows,  and  its 
place  supplied  with  rags.  It  is  a  heathenish  looking 
place,  and  I  more  than  half  suspect  that  heathen  in- 
habit it." 

Saturday  we  spent  making  a  portfolio  in  which  to 
carry  my  sample  atlas,  and  Sunday  we  wrote  letters  to 
our  friends.  There  were  no  religious  services  in  the 
town.  The  weather  was  very  fine,  and  the  transition 
from  the  cold  winds  which  blew  chill  and  damp  off  Lake 
Michigan  to  the  sunny  Southern  spring  was  very  pleas- 
ant and  agreeable. 

On  Monday  morning  I  started  out  to  make  a  begin- 
ning at  my  untried  business.  My  first  subscriber  was  a 
murderer;  in  fact,  he  was  not  a  common,  vulgar  mur- 
derer ;  he  had  slain  four  men,  and  was,  therefore,  entitled 
to  rank  as  a  gentleman  in  that  community.  Of  course 
I  learned  all  this  later. 

While  I  had  always  been  anti-slavery  in  my  senti- 
ments, I  had  supposed  that  the  stories  of  fiendish 
cruelty  which  were  told  by  those  who  were  known  as 
abolitionists  were  exceptional  instances,  if  not  exag- 
gerations of  the  real  facts.  I  had  come  among  the 
Southern  people  determined  to  see  for  myself  the  real 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  249 

facts,  and  to  judge  fairly  of  the  effect  of  the  system  of 
slavery  both  upon  the  slaves  and  their  masters.  The 
low  condition  of  these  wretched  towns,  and  the  class  of 
people  found  in  them  ;  the  absence  of  schools  and 
churches,  and  the  squalor  everywhere  prevalent,  were 
the  first  lessons  we  received  as  to  the  merits  of  the 
"peculiar  institution." 

We  remained  at  Columbia  a  few  days  only,  and 
then  transferred  our  sojourning  place  to  Lake  Village, ' 
a  little  new  village  on  the  banks  of  a  small  lake,  about 
ten  miles  back  from  the  river.  There  were  a  brick 
court-house  and  a  gallows  beside  it,  upon  which  a  black 
man  was  hanged  a  day  or  two  before  our  arrival ;  a  hotel 
of  fair  proportions,  but  built  of  rough  pine  lumber,  and 
a  few  dwellings.  But  about  the  lake  and  in  the  vicinity 
were  a  number  of  fine  plantations,  and  the  county  was 
said  to  be  one  of  the  richest  in  the  State.  Of  course 
the  service  in  the  hotel  was  by  slaves,  and  among  them 
one  woman  especially  attracted  our  attention.  She  was 
perhaps  thirty  years  old,  nearly  white,  and  fully  as  in- 
telligent as  the  average.  One  morning  soon  after  our 
arrival,  a  man  rode  up  to  the  hotel  and  shouted  for  the 
jailer.  We  looked  out  and  saw  a  sight  entirely  new  to 
our  Northern  vision.  The  man  on  horseback  had  a 
heavy  whip  in  his  hand,  a  pair  of  heavy  pistols  and  a 
huge  bowie-knife  in  his  belt;  before  him  on  the  ground 
stood  a  black  man  with  his  arms  tied  behind  him  and  a 
rope  around  his  neck  and  fastened  to  the  horn  of  the 
saddle.  The  rider  had  arrested  a  runaway  slave,  and 
wanted  him  put  in  jail  until  his  owner  should  come 
after  him. 

While  we  were  looking  through  the  window,  Tempe 
(the   slave  woman   I   have  mentioned)   came   into    the 


25O  REMINISCENCES    OF 

room,  and,  looking  out,  saw  the  party.  With  eyes 
flashing  like  coals  of  fire,  and  a  furious  look,  she  shook 
her  fist  and  exclaimed,  "You  kin  rope  up  niggers  now, 
but  you  '11  git  roped  up  in  hell  one  of  these  days."  One 
day  Mrs.  Fuller  asked  her  if  she  had  any  children.  She 
answered  that  she  had  had  one,  "but,  thank  God,  it's 
dead!"  She  was  endeavoring  to  earn  enough  money, 
by  overwork  nights,  etc.,  to  buy  her  freedom,  and  had 
quite  a  sum  already. 

A  few  days  later  we  moved  to  a  plantation  in  Boli- 
var county,  Mississippi,  where  Mrs.  Fuller  had  engaged 
to  teach  a  family  school.  The  proprietor  was  a  widow, 
named  Miller,  who  owned  about  eight  hundred  acres  of 
land  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi  River,  about 
one  hundred  acres  of  which  were  cultivated  by  her 
force  of  twenty-five  slaves.  She  was  uneducated,  not 
able  even  to  write  her  own  name,  but  was  a  lady  of 
good  natural  ability  and  kind  in  disposition,  and  will 
always  be  remembered  by  us  with  respect.  Her  eldest 
son,  George,  was  a  lazy,  ignorant,  drunken  egotist,  who 
supposed  himself  the  superior  of  every  man  born  on 
free  soil.  He  was  a  typical  specimen  of  the  legitimate 
product  of  slavery  on  plantations  remote  from  civilized 
society.  He  was  too  contemptible  to  be  the  object  of 
hatred  ;  to  class  him  as  a  donkey  would  be  an  insult  to 
a  comparatively  intelligent  and  useful  animal.  Of  course 
he  was  a  fire-eater. 

The  other  children — there  were  six  in  all — were 
William,  Mary,  Sue,  Hiram  and  Sarah.  Sue  was  a 
bright,  pretty  girl  of  perhaps  sixteen  ;  Mary  was  good, 
but  not  so  intelligent.  Bill  was  dull — stupidly  dull. 
Though  a  young  man,  he  could  not  tell  the  time  of  day 
by  the  clock.       But  he  could  kill  a  bear,  or  hunt  runa- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  25  I 

ways  with  bloodhounds.  He  said  that  "  'Squire  Manly 
is  zviith  half  a  million,  and  he  can  nuther  read  nor 
write,"  and  he  "didn't  care  a  red  whether  he  ever 
knew  any  more  or  not." 

Upon  this  plantation  Mrs.  Fuller  remained  until 
January,  1858,  when  she  returned  to  the  North. 

We  reached  Mrs  Miller's  the  19th  of  May,  1857, 
and  a  day  or  two  later  I  left  for  a  trip  in  Arkansas.  I 
traveled  from  one  plantation  to  another,  and  was  reas- 
onably successful  in  taking  orders  for  the  Atlas.  A  few 
days  later  I  witnessed  another  phase  of  the  "patri- 
archal institution."  It  was  at  Monticello,  the  county 
seat  bf  Drew  county,  some  forty  miles  west  of  the 
river.  It  was  announced  in  the  local  paper,  and  by 
posters,  that  at  12  o'clock  m.,  May  23,  1857,  at  the 
court  house,  there  would  be  a  sale  of  four  slave  chil 
dren,  the  property  of  a  Mr.  Skinner,  lately  deceased. 
To  be  sold  for  cash  to  the  highest  bidder.  As  I  had 
never  seen  anything  of  the  kind,  and  had  read  that 
stories  of  selling  children  away  from  their  parents  were 
"abolition  lies,"  I  watched  the  scene  with  great 
interest. 

The  widow  of  the  deceased,  and  the  father  and 
mother  of  the  slave  children  were  present.  The  first 
to  be  sold  was  a  boy  of  about  thirteen  years.  The  first 
bid  was  $700,  and  this  was  slowly  raised  by  the  bidders 
to  $1,000,  at  which  price  he  was  struck  off  to  Stephen 
Gaster.  The  others  were  girls,  aged  about  five,  eight 
and  eleven  years.  The  oldest  was  sold  for  $949 ;  the 
next  for  $675,  and  the  youngest  for  $450.  The  girls 
were  purchased  by  a  Mr.  Wells,  though  it  was  said 
that  all  four  were  really  the  purchase  of  Mr.  Gaster. 


252  REMINISCENCES    OF 

The  widow  repeatedly  told  the  little  girls  not  to  cry, 
but  for  some  reason  her  cautions  were  not  heeded. 

After  the  sale  was  over,  as  I  sat  on  the  "  gallery  " 
of  the  hotel,  I  heard  Dr.  Wallace,  the  editor  of  the 
paper,  say  that  the  father  of  the  children  asked  him 
where  Mr.  Wells  lived,  and  he  in  return  asked  the 
black  man  why  he  wished  to  know,  and  if  Mr.  Wells 
had  bought  him.  He  said  he  answered,  "No,  but  he 
has  bought  my  children,"  and  as  he  said  so  a  look  of 
the  most  intense  anguish  he  had  ever  seen  on  a  human 
countenance  passed  over  his  face.  The  Doctor  looked 
around  on  his  hearers  and  said,  "I  tell  you,  gentlemen, 
this  selling  little  children  away  from  their  parents  *is  the 
damnable  feature  of  our  whole  slave  system." 

I  had  begun  to  learn  that  the  only  lies  ever  told 
about  slavery  were  told  by  its  friends  and  apologists. 
The  imagination  could  add  nothing  to  the  appalling 
horrors  of  the  barbarous  system.  Day  after  day  the 
damning  atrocities  which  were  everywhere  perpetrated 
were  the  common  theme  of  conversation.  The  last 
Sunday  in  May  I  spent  with  a  planter  whose  brother 
had  been  recently  murdered  by  his  slaves.  As  provi- 
ded by  Louisiana  law,  three  Justices  of  the  Peace  had 
met  to  investigate  the  crime,  and  one  of  them  remarked 
to  the  widow:  "We  have  come  to  give  your  niggers  a 
fair  trial,  but  we  '11  hang  them,  by  God  !"  And  before 
sunset,  three  of  them  had  been  hanged,  and  all  the 
others  awfully  whipped. 

I  learned  that  the  cause  of  the  murder  was  this : 
One  of  the  slave  women  wished  to  marry  a  man  living 
on  an  adjacent  plantation,  and  her  master  forbade  her 
doing  so.  He  told  her  to  choose  some  one  of  his  nig- 
gers, or  if  that  did  not  suit,  he  would  buy  her  a   hus- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  253 

band  when  he  got  able.  The  unreasonable  woman  was 
not  satisfied,  and  she  raised  a  conspiracy  and  killed 
him. 

On  the  4th  of  July,  1857,  I  attended  a  celebration, 
styled  in  Southern  parlance,  a  barbecue.  There  was  a 
fine  dinner,  and  then  one  Scotchman  read  the  Declara- 
tion of  Independence  and  another  of  the  same  nation- 
ality delivered  an  oration.  The  president  of  the  day 
in  his  attempt  to  make  a  speech  was  pathetic  in  the  ex- 
treme. In  one  of  his  bursts  of  eloquence  he  ex- 
claimed:  "  We  was  weak  when  them  men  signed  the 
Declaration,  but  now  the  States  contain  a  heap  of 
people." 

There  was  one  attempt  at  fight,  and  bowie  knives 
were  drawn,  but  fortunately,  those  who  were  sober  inter- 
fered before  any  blood  was  shed,  and  the  scowling  com- 
batants were  separated,  though  there  were  oaths  and 
threats  of  a  future  settlement.  The  day  ended  with 
what  was  termed  a  "  bran  dance."  A  cleaned  space  of 
ground  was  covered  with  saw-dust,  and  on  it  they 
danced  and  waltzed  to  the  music  of  a  fiddle,  sawed  by 
a  darkey  worth  twelve  hundred  dollars. 

On  a  plantation  in  the  same  vicinity  I  witnessed  a 
scene  I  shall  never  forget.  Mrs.  Carroll,  the  owner, 
had  sold  one  of  her  slave  woman  to  a  ruffian  looking 
trader,  but  had  retained  possession  of  her  little  child, 
an  infant  some  six  or  eight  months  old.  The  trader 
was  to  take  the  woman  away  that  morning,  and  Mrs. 
Carroll  had  just  informed  the  slave  that  she  had  sold 
her.  She  shrieked  and  wrung  her  hands  in  the  most 
frantic  manner,  continually  repeating,  "Oh!  my  God, 
missus,  don't  sell  me  away  from  my  little  child."  Her 
mistress  tried  in  vain  to  still  her  shrieks,  but  she  still 


254  REMINISCENCES    OF 

cried  in  tones  of  heart-broken  anguish,  "Oh  !  my  God, 
missus,  don't  sell  me  away  from  my  little  child."  I 
hurried  away  with  a  smothered  curse  on  the  hellish  in- 
stitution that  annihilated  the  rights  of  man  and  de- 
prived him  of  the  sympathy  which  would  be  freely 
given  to  the  brute. 

The  price  of  that  poor  creature's  flesh  and  blood 
was  to  be  in  part  devoted  to  the  purchase  of  a  piano 
for  the  widow's  daughter.  But  to  my  ear,  there  would 
have  been  a  tone  of  sadness,  aye,  of  wildest  sorrow,  in 
the  trembling  of  its  strings,  and  every  note  would  echo 
with  the  wail  of  the  despairing  mother,  as  she  pleaded 
with  her  iron-hearted  owner,  ' '  Do  n't  sell  me  away 
from  my  little  child. " 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

A    FIRE-EATER. — MR.    GARFIELD    BECOMES    PRESIDENT    OF 
THE    ECLECTIC. — SLAVERY    IN    ARKANSAS. 

One  of  the  eccentric  characters  with  whom  I  be- 
came quite  well  acquainted  while  in  Arkansas,  was 
Charles  McDermott,  the  owner  of  a  large  plantation 
some  twenty  miles  west  of  the  Mississippi  river,  on  the 
Bayou  Bartholomew.  He  owned  several  thousand 
acres  of  rich  and  fertile  bottom  land,  whose  soil  was  of 
fabulous  depth,  and  was  the  owner  of  some  two  hun- 
dred slaves.  He  was  a  pious  Presbyterian,  and  claimed 
that  the  institution  of  slavery  was  divinely  ordained ; 
liberty  was  a  humbug,  and  the  reopening  of  the  foreign 
slave  trade  ^vould  be  a  national  blessing,  and  the  source 
of  untold  benefit  to  the  men  and  women  who  should  be 
seized  in  the  jungles  of  Africa  and  transplanted  to  a 
Christian  land.  He  hoped  the  war  would  speedily 
begin  between  the  North  and  the  South  (in  this  he  was 
gratified  only  four  years  after),  and  if  a  little  younger 
he  should  delight  to  fight  the  Yankees.  Such  a  con- 
flict would  result  in  a  great  Southern  Confederacy ;  the 
slave  trade  would  be  reopened,  and  he  could  buy  five 
hundred  negroes,  strong  and  athletic,  for  the  price  he 
would  now  have  to  pay  for  fifty. 

With  all  his  ultra  notions,  I  rather  liked  the  man. 
He  was  far  more  logical  than  many  of  his  class  who 
pretended  to  believe  it  right  to  buy  slaves  from  Vir- 


256  REMINISCENCES    OF 

ginia  and  Kentucky  and  wrong  to  buy  them  in  Africa.  I 
received  many  kindnesses  from  him,  and  would  be  glad 
to  know  how  he  fared  when  a  Northern  army  marched 
perhaps  over  his  broad  plantation,  and  he  learned  that 
Northern  "mudsills"  not  only  knew  how  rifles  were 
made,  but  how  to  use  them. 

I  had  written  once  or  twice  during  the  summer  to 
Mr.  Garfield,  and  about  the  middle  of  September 
received  the  following  letter  : 

Hiram,  August  30,  1857. 

My  Dear  Bro.  Corydon: — I  have  come  home  late  at  night  and  I 
find  your  letter  of  the  13th  inst.  lying  on  my  table.  My  head  throbs 
wearily  and  my  tired  heart  and  body  are  calling  for  rest;  but  I  can  not 
obey  that  call  till  I  have  told  .you  that  you  are  still  the  same  dear- 
brother  to  me  that  you  have  ever  been,  and  have  never  for  an  hour 
ceased  to  be  since  first  we  met  within  those  walls  around  which  the  si- 
lent moonlight  is  resting  so  mournfully  to-night.  No !  from  the  first 
when  we  met  and  claimed  each  other  as  kindred  spirits  I  have  felt  that 
you  were  my  brother,  not  in  name  only,  but  in  deed,  in  heart  and  in 
truth. 

But  wherefore  then,  say  you,  have  you  not  written  ?  Well,  I  have 
been  buffeting  such  waves  as  I  have  never  before  breasted ;  and  doing 
such  work  as  I  never  before  have  done.  There  has  come  a  great  crisis 
upon  the  Eclectic  Institute.  There  was  much  dissatisfaction,  as  you 
know,  with  the  Principal,  and  when  my  enemies  feared  I  might  be 
placed  in  the  chair,  they  commenced  the  most  unholy  warfare  that  one 
can  well  imagine,  against  me.  All  the  lies  of  ancient  and  modern  date 
were  arrayed  and  marshaled  against  me,  and  yet  I  had  never  by  word 
or  action  manifested  the  least  desire  to  gain  the  Presidency  of  the 
Eclectic.  However,  the  Trustees  were  urging  me  to  take  charge  of  the 
school,  and  after  a  long  time  I  determined  to  do  so,  partly  to  hold  it  up 
and  partly  to  stop  the  mouths  of  the  barking  hounds  around  me.  I 
have  taken  it,  and  I  am  determined  that  it  shall  move  for  one  year,  A 
score  are  looking  on  with  vulture  eyes  and  longing  for  me  to  fail,  and  I 
am  resolved  that  they  shall  not  be  gratified,  if  work  and  nerve  and  back- 
bone can  avail  anything.  So  you  see  how  I  am  engaged.  I  have  not 
written  a  dozen  letters,  except  business  letters,  for  the  last  three- 
months,  but  I  have  been  working  for  this  school. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  257 

We  have  raised  over  $400  to  build  a  fence  round  the  Eclectic 
grounds.  We  have  remodeled  the  government,  published  rules,  pub- 
lished a  new  catalogue,  and  have  now,  the  fourth  week,  250  students 
(no  primary),  as  orderly  as  clock-work,  and  all  hard  at  work.  Our 
teachers  are  Dunshee,  Everest,  Rhodes  and  Almeda.  I  teach  seven 
classes  and  take  the  entire  charge  of  the  school  and  its  correspondence 
besides.  I  have  the  most  advanced  classes  in  the  school  and  deliver  the 
most  of  the  morning  lectures. 

Now,  my  dear  Corydon,  I  do  not  tell  you  this  for  any  other  pur- 
pose than  to  let  you  know  what  I  am  doing,  and  how  my  time  has  been 
sold  out.  I  am  just  getting  the  school  round  into  a  shape  by  which  I 
shall  have  more  leisure  to  look  around  me  and  correspond  more. 

I  am  glad  to  hear  of  your  success  in  your  business  there,  and  I 
want  you  to  write  to  me  often.  I  will  answer  just  as  promptly  as  I 
can. 

I  suppose  you  have  heard  of  William  Boynton's  death.  He  was 
engaged  in  the  same  business  that  you  are.  But  I  must  close.  The 
stars  are  sinking  westward  and  I  must  rest  my  aching  head.  Give  my 
love  to  Mary,  and  remember  me  as  ever. 

Your  own  brother,  James. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  work  done  by  Mr.  Gar- 
field that  year  for  the  Eclectic  was  herculean  in  its 
scope  and  character.  He  was  determined  to  achieve  a 
permanent  success,  and  justify  the  confidence  of  those 
who  had  committed  the  interests  of  the  institution  to 
his  hands  ;  and  to  this  end  he  bent  all  his  energies  and 
the  splendid  and  well  disciplined  powers  with  which  he 
was  so  richly  endowed. 

I  had  spent  the  summer  traveling  on  horseback 
from  one  plantation  to  another,  taking  subscribers  for 
Colton's  Atlas,  and  for  part  of  the  time  had  been  quite 
successful.  During  the  spring  and  early  summer,  cot- 
ton was  selling  in  the  New  Orleans  market  as  high  as 
16  cents  per  pound,  and  money  was  plenty.  On  the 
fertile  lands  along  the  Mississippi  and  the  bayous  in  the 
interior,  a  bale  of  400  pounds  of  cotton  could  easily  be 


258  REMINISCENCES    OF 

raised  upon  every  acre,  and  a  negro  with  one  mule 
could  plant  and  cultivate  from  twelve  to  twenty  acres. 
The  gathering  of  the  crop  was  the  hardest  work  of  the 
season,  as  a  man  could  plant  and  tend  easily  more  than 
he  could  gather.  About  150  pounds  of  cotton  in  the 
boll  was  a  full  day's  work  for  the  picker,  and  in  every 
gin-house,  on  a  post  by  the  scales  where  the  day's  task 
was  weighed,  hung  a  heavy  black  whip,  known  as  the 
nigger-whip,  and  woe  to  the  man  or  woman  or  child 
whose  return  fell  short  of  what  the  overseer  deemed  a 
reasonable  number  of  pounds. 

It  will  readily  be  seen  that  the  planter  who  had  a 
number  of  slaves  could  count  on  an  average  yearly  in- 
come of  seven  or  eight  hundred  dollars  from  each  of 
them  ;  and  as  they  were  cheaply  clothed  and  coarsely 
fed,  the  profit  was  very  liberal,  especially  as  the  in- 
crease of  the  black  live-stock  had  a  market  value  of  no 
inconsiderable  amount,  when  a  boy  of  twelve  years 
could  be  sold  for  a  thousand  dollars,  and  every  likely 
pickaninny  was  worth  a  hundred  dollars  as  soon  as  it 
was  born. 

But  with  the  autumn  of  1857,  came  the  disastrous 
financial  crisis,  which  prostrated  every  industry  and 
whelmed  in  one  common  ruin  almost  every  interest  of 
the  country.  The  currency  in  those  days  was  fur- 
nished by  some  fifteen  hundred  banks  organized  under 
the  varying  laws  of  the  several  States,  and  even  at  the 
best  was  taken  only  at  a  discount  when  it  strayed  be- 
yond the  State  in  which  it  was  issued  ;  and  now,  in  this 
time  of  panic  and  distrust,  much  of  it  became  utterly 
worthless,  and  the  best  was  taken  with  fear  and  reluc- 
tance. Cotton  fell  at  once  to  half  its  former  price,  and 
the  planters  who  supposed  themselves  rich  and  inde- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  259 

pendent,  found  it  necessary  to  practice  the  most  rigid 
economy  to  meet  their  maturing  obligations. 

Under  such  circumstances,  of  course,  it  became 
difficult  to  make  sales,  or  even  to  deliver  the  works  I 
had  already  sold  ;  and,  to  add  to  my  misfortunes,  I 
began  to  suffer  from  that  scourge  of  the  Southwest,  the 
chills,  or  ague.  I  took  the  powerful  drugs  which  were 
supposed  to  be  a  specific,  and  for  a  time  appeared  to 
be  cured  ;  but  the  malarial  curse  still  lingered  about 
me,  and  the  malady  frequently  returned  until  the  au- 
tumn frost  brought  relief. 

In  the  meantime  I  was  learning  more  and  more  of 
slavery.  Each  night  on  a  different  plantation,  some 
new  atrocity  of  the  hell-born  system  was  revealed  in  all 
its  hideous  features.  Let  it  not  be  understood  that  I 
thought  all  the  Southern  people  heartless  or  cruel ; 
such  a  charge  would  be  the  grossest  injustice.  Many 
of  them  were  as  noble  and  generous  as  any  people  God 
ever  made  ;  but  it  was  impossible  to  maintain  the  sys- 
tem of  chattel  slavery  without  the  accompaniment  of 
wrongs  at  which  humanity  stands  appalled.  From 
earliest  childhood,  the  boy  or  girl  of  the  dominant 
race  was  taught  that  it  was  his  or  her  right  to  receive 
unquestioning  obedience  from  every  slave  child,  and  a 
refusal  to  obey  was  to  be  resented  and  punished.  Thus 
the  white  child  became  a  tyrant,  in  order  that  the  other 
should  become  a  slave.  I  heard  a  young  man  tell  his 
Christian  father  that  his  servant,  a  boy  of  equal  age, 
gave  him  an  insolent  answer,  and  that  he  "knocked 
him  down  and  stamped  him  in  the  face,  to  teach  the 
nigger  his  place,"  and  the  good  old  man  no  more 
thought  of  rebuking  his  son  for  it  than  he  would  if  the 
young  man  had  spoken  of  training  his  dog. 


26o  REMINISCENCES    OF 

There  was  not  a  neighborhood  which  was  destitute 
of  a  nigger-hunter,  with  his  pack  of  bloodhounds, 
trained  with  matchless  skill  to  follow  the  fugitive;  and 
the  wonderful  sagacity  of  these  awful  brutes,  fiercer 
than  the  demon  dogs  which  old  yEneas  found  at  the 
gate  of  hell,  was  the  pride  and  boast  of  their  ruffian 
owners.  More  than  once  did  I  narrowly  escape  an 
attack  from  them,  and  many  times  did  I  hear  their 
deep  baying  as  they  followed  the  track  of  some  daring 
or  despairing  negro,  whose  bondage  had  become  so  in- 
tolerable that  he  was  ready  to  brave  death  rather  than 
longer  to  endure  his  servitude. 

On  a  plantation  adjacent  to  that  of  Mrs.  Miller,  a 
man  was  captured  by  the  dogs  and  great  pieces  of  flesh 
torn  from  his  limbs,  so  that  for  days  he  struggled  be- 
tween life  and  death.  One  runaway  was  buried  in  the 
earth  up  to  his  neck,  and  left  for  three  days  in  the 
broiling  sun,  without  either  food  or  drink,  with  the 
flies  swarming  about  his  face.  These  were  only  sam- 
ples of  punishment  upon  many  of  the  plantations  of 
the  Southwest. 

On  the  afternoon  of  Saturday,  the  14th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1857,  I  rode  up  to  the  gate  of  a  fine  plantation  in 
Ashley  county,  Arkansas.  There  was  a  large  yard  in 
front  of  the  house,  finely  set  with  flowers  and  ever- 
greens ;  the  house  was  hewn  timber,  but  neat  and  com- 
fortable ;  the  cabins  for  the  slaves  were  nicely  white- 
washed, and  everything  seemed  to  betoken  the  place 
as  the  home  of  refined  people.  In  answer  to  my  in- 
quiry of  the  pleasant  lady  who  appeared  at  the  summons, 
whether  I  could  stay  with  them  until  Monday,  I  was 
cheerfully  welcomed,  and  a  slave  was  ordered  to  take 
care  of  my  horse.      Not  long  afterward  the   master  of 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  26 1 

the  place  came  home  and  gave  me  courteous  greeting. 
He  appeared  to  be  quite  well  informed  and  agreeable 
in  his  manners,  and  I  had  every  reason  to  congratulate 
myself  upon  the  good  quarters  I  had  secured.  In  the 
course  of  our  conversation  he  asked  me  if  I  had  heard 
of  the  recent  burning  of  two  negroes  in  that  neighbor- 
hood. I  replied  that  I  had  heard  that  such  an  affair 
had  been  enacted,  but  knew  nothing  of  the  details,  as 
I  had  only  that  day  arrived  from  another  part  of  the 
county.  He  replied,  "  Well  I  am  the  man  who  did  it, 
and  as  you  may  hear  the  story  from  others,  I  will  give 
you  the  facts."  I  expressed  myself  as  curious  to  know 
the  truth  concerning  the  affair,  and  this  is  the  story  he 
told  me,  as  I  wrote  it  down  in  my  journal,  which, 
travel-stained  and  yellow  with  more  than  a  quarter  of  a 
century,  now  lies  before  me.  The  name  of  the  planter 
at  whose  house  I  was  a  guest  was  J.  L.  May. 

He  said  that  about  a  mile  from  his  house,  on  a  dis- 
tant part  of  his  plantation,  there  had  stood  a  house  which 
was  occupied  with  his  consent  by  a  widow  named  Hill, 
and  one  of  his  negro  women  lived  with  her.  One 
morning  he  rode  over  there  and  found  that  during  the 
night  the  two  women  had  been  murdered  and  the  house 
burned,  and  amid  the  ashes  were  their  half-consumed 
bodies.  He  at  once  gave  the  alarm  and  the  people 
soon  came  together ;  a  careful  search  was  instituted  and 
a  bloody  ax  was  found  with  which  the  deed  had  been 
perpetrated.  Several  slaves  living  in  the  vicinity  were 
flogged  without  eliciting  any  testimony,  and  among 
them  was  a  boy  named  Ike,  owned  by  a  Mr.  Perdue. 
Mr.  May  said  that  from  the  first  he  suspected  Ike,  and 
that  he  whipped  him  until  he  "  thought  the  cursed  nig- 
ger would  die,"  but  he   positively  denied  any  knowl- 


262  REMINISCENCES    OF 

edge  of  the  crime.  Mr.  May  said  he  was  not  satisfied, 
and  that  he  took  the  nigger  and  poured  spirits  of  turpen- 
tine over  his  back,  now  raw  from  the  flogging,  and  set  it 
on  fire!  This  made  the  boy  confess  that  he  was  pre- 
sent and  aided  in  the  murder ;  he  also  stated  that  a 
white  man  named  Miller  hired  him  and  Jack,  a  negro 
belonging  to  a  planter  named  J.  R.  Norrell,  to  help 
him  commit  the  deed.  I  learned  subsequently  that 
a  deadly  feud  had  long  existed  between  Norrell  and 
May. 

When  this  confession  was  obtained,  Jack's  cabin 
was  searched  and  a  shirt  was  found  with  blood  upon 
the  sleeve.  Jack  explained  that  in  the  morning  when 
the  dew  was  on  the  cotton  his  master  required  him  to 
put  on  an  extra  coarse  shirt,  and  that  he  was  subject 
to  the  nose-bleed  when  stooping  over  to  pick  cotton, 
and  that  the  blood  on  the  shirt-sleeve  came  there  in 
that  way. 

But  his  story  was  not  credited.  He  was  terribly 
flogged,  but  no  word  of  confession  could  be  exhorted 
from  him.  The  crowd  decided  that  Ike  and  Jack 
should  be  burned  alive,  and  two  stakes  were  driven 
into  the  ground  and  the  two  victims  chained  to  them. 
A  vast  pile  of  pine  knots  was  placed  around  them  and 
Mr.  May  said  that  he  applied  the  match.  Jack  died 
denying  any  knowledge  of  the  affair. 

Mr.  May  was  a  candidate  for  the  Legislature  the  next 
summer.  He  was  a  gentleman  in  appearance,  but  was 
like  nearly  all  the  planters,  addicted  to  drinking  and 
gambling.  « 

Before  leaving  the  neighborhood,  I  called  at  the 
plantation  of  Mr.  Norrell  and  heard  their  version  of 
the  tragedy  which  had  taken  from  them  one  of   their 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  263 

slaves.  Mrs.  Norrell  said  they  had  raised  Jack,  and 
that  he  was  trustworthy  and  utterly  incapable  of  such 
a  deed.  She  said  that  on  the  night  of  the  murder  he 
was  at  home  late  in  the  evening  and  early  in  the  next 
morning,  and  that  his  explanation  of  the  bloody  sleeve 
was  undoubtedly  true.  With  tears  streaming  down  her 
face,  and  the  children  crying,  she  said  that  after  the  fire 
was  kindled  Mr.  Norrell  approached  the  blazing  ring 
and  said  to  the  dying  man :  ' '  Jack,  you  are  about  to  die  ! 
No  power  on  earth  can  save  you.  I  don't  know  that 
you  ever  told  me  a  lie,  and  now,  before  Ged,  tell  me 
truly,  do  you  know  anything  about  this  murder?'-' 
The  slave  replied,  "  Master,  I  know  I  'm  goin'  to  die. 
I  don't  know  any  more  about  it  than  you  do."  And 
thus  he  died  ;  and  the  family  who  had  raised  him  be- 
lieved he  had  died  innocent. 

In  commenting  upon  this  and  other  tragedies  re- 
sulting from  the  institution,  and  the  efforts  of  Northern 
men  to  make  Kansas  and  Nebraska  slave  States,  I 
wrote : 

The  white  man  is  debased  and  ruined  by  an  institution  that  mocks 
at  law  and  justice,  and  every  base  passion  runs  riot,  prostrating  in  the 
dust  the  noblest  specimens  of  humanity.  There  are  facts,  dark, 
damning  facts,  arrayed  against  the  institution  of  slavery  that  ought  to 
sink  it  to  the  depths  of  hell !  And  what  shall  I  say  of  those  who,  born 
and  bred  in  a  land  of  liberty,  where  the  soil  has  been  polluted  by  the 
tread  of  no  bondman,  plead  the  cause  of  the  oppressor  against  the  op- 
pressed? Will  a  just  God  listen  to  their  sophistry  in  trying  to  extenu- 
ate their  guilt  in  the  last  day  ?  What  plea  shall  they  make  in  the  court 
of  heaven,  in  justification  of  their  agency  in  spreading  slavery's  blight- 
ing curse  over  a  land  consecrated  to  freedom?  Africa's  sable  children 
are  mourning  in  their  far-off  homes  for  broken  households,  for  the 
pirate  slaver  has  stolen  strong  men  and  helphss  children,  and  carried 
them  over  the  sea  to  toil  in  the  burning  sun,  and  for  what?  What 
shall  compensate  them  for  the  loss  of  home  and  kindred?  What  shall 
God  require  of  the  Nation  in  satisfaction  of  such  a  crime  ? 


264  REMINISCENCES    OF 

The  answer  came,  when  only  four  years  later  the 
land  trembled  beneath  the  tread  of  armies,  and  every 
Northern  as  well  as  Southern  home  was  called  upon  for 
a  sacrifice  upon  the  altar  of  the  infernal  Moloch,  to 
atone  for  the  guilt  incurred  by  the  nation  in  buying 
and  selling  men  for  two  hundred  years. 

The  barbarism  which  prevailed  in  the  State  of  Ar- 
kansas, especially  along  the  Mississippi  river  in  the 
years  preceding  the  war,  can  hardly  be  realized  from 
any  description  which  it  is  possible  to  give.  Human 
life  was  of  but  the  slightest  value.  Almost  every  man 
went  armed,  usually  with  both  a  revolver  and  a  bowie 
knife ;  and  drinking,  gambling,  fighting  and  hunting 
were  the  principal  employment  of  the  "respectable" 
citizens.  The  "poor  whites"  were  accustomed  to 
work  when  absolutely  necessary,  but  those  who  pos- 
sessed property  regarded  it  as  disgraceful  to  be  engaged 
in  any  useful  employment. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  the  slaves  were  more  harshly 
treated  than  in  the  older  States.  While  there  were 
many  extensive  plantations  on  the  Mississippi  and  its 
tributary  streams,  where  a  large  number  of  slaves  were 
employed,  yet  the  great  mass  of  the  slave-masters 
owned  only  from  one  to  half  a  dozen  human  chattels  ; 
and  as  all  were  anxious  to  increase  their  possessions,  of 
course  they  used  every  endeavor  to  make  the  most  of 
their  hands  Cotton  was  the  great  staple,  and  the  rank 
of  the  planter  was  expressed  in  the  number  of  bales  of 
cotton  he  raised  and  the  number  of  his  slaves. 

Under  the  laws  of  all  the  slave  States,  it  was  a 
criminal  offense  to  teach  a  slave  to  read,  and  such  laws 
were  a  positive  necessity,  if  the  institution  was  to  be 
maintained.      To  keep  in  bondage  a  people  who  could 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  265 

read  and  write,  would  have  been  impossible ;  and  this 
was  so  evident  to  the  dominant  race  that  few  offenses 
would  have  been  so  severely  punished  as  teaching  the 
alphabet  to  a  slave. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII. 

THE   SOUTHERN    AGUE. INCIDENTS    AND    EXPERIENCES. 

Early  in  January,  1858,  Mrs.  Miller,  the  lady  by 
whom  Mrs.  Fuller  was  employed  as  a  teacher,  decided 
that  she  could  not  afford  to  continue  the  school,  and  on 
the  20th  of  that  month  Mrs.  Fuller  started  on  her  return 
to  Mishawaka.  But  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  close 
up  my  business,  as  I  had  made  many  sales  of  the  Atlas, 
to  be  delivered  the  ensuing  spring. 

I  have  spoken  of  the  barbarism  which  prevailed,  es- 
pecially in  the  little  towns  along  the  great  river.  As 
illustrative  of  the  state  of  society,  I  may  relate  an  inci- 
dent which  occurred  at  Gaster's  Landing,  Arkansas,  the 
night  of  the  21st  of  January.  An  old  man  named 
Pierce,  whose  home  was  said  to  be  in  Cincinnati,  had 
been  traveling  in  Arkansas,  selling  a  little  machine  for 
use  upon  the  plantation,  which  took  raw  cotton  in  the 
bolls,  as  it  came  from  the  field,  and  ginned  it  and  spun 
it  into  yarn.  He  had  a  machine  with  him,  which  ap- 
peared to  be  perfectly  adapted  to  its  purpose.  Unfor- 
tunately he  had  the  habit  of  hard  drinking,  and  it  was 
said  that  on  a  wager  he  had  drank  a  pint  of  brandy 
and  a  pint  of  whisky,  and  in  consequence  was  in  a  dying 
condition.  When  I  first  saw  him  he  lay  in  a  back  room, 
with  his  head  on  a  pile  of  mail  bags,  and  was  groaning, 
piteously.      He  said  he  was  cold,  and  finally  two  of  the 

drunken  crowd  took  hold  of  his  arms  and  dragged  him. 

266 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  267 

into  another  room  and  laid  him  down  on  the  floor  be- 
fore the  fire.  They  then  got  a  violin  and  asked  him  if 
he  did  not  want  them  to  play  to  him.  He  replied, 
"I'm  going  to  die, "  and  one  of  them  answered,  ' '  Yes, 
you  're  as  good  as  dead  and  damned  now,"  and  the 
wretches  laughed  at  and  cursed  him,  mocking  at  his 
groans. 

I  endeavored  to  get  him  a  bed,  but  was  utterly  pow- 
erless, and,  sick  at  heart,  was  obliged  to  leave  him. 
The  next  morning  his  stiffened  corpse  lay  on  the  floor, 
with  a  sheet  thrown  over  it.  The  blood  had  issued 
from  his  mouth  and  the  bright  red  stains  had  colored 
the  sheet.  I  was  obliged  to  leave,  and  know  not  what 
became  of  the  body. 

At  that  time  the  whole  State  of  Arkansas  had  not 
one  mile  of  railroad.  It  was  about  destitute  of  schools, 
and  the  few  that  existed  were  of  the  rudest  character. 
Drunkenness  was  alarmingly  prevalent  ;  murders  were 
so  common  as  to  excite  very  little  comment.  I  am 
sure  I  knew  of  more  than  twenty  homicides  during 
the  sixteen  months  I  spent  in  the  State,  and  in  no  case 
was  a  man-slayer  punished. 

The  following  letter  from  Mr.  Garfield  reached  me 

the  27th  of  February,  having  been  on  the  road  more 

than  forty  days : 

Hiram,  Jan.  16,  1858. 

My  Dear  Corydon  ."-^Several  months  of  toil  have  elapsed  since 
last  I  wrote  you  and  received  your  last  letter.  I  am  doing  all  the  work 
in  the  school  that  I  formerly  did,  and  Sutton's  beside.  Added  to  this, 
I  speak  somewhere  every  Lord's  day,  and  have  written  and  delivered 
several  lectures  this  season. 

A  few  weeks  ago  I  cleared  up  the  last  of  my  college  debts,  and 
am  now,  for  the  first  time  in  several  years,  free  pecuniarily.  But  while 
I  am  free  from  debt,  I  am  likewise  free  from  money.  Having  reached 
this  point,  I  next  come  to  inquire  for  a  permanent   occupation  in   life. 


268  REMINISCENCES    OF 

You  and  I  know  that  teaching  is  not  the  work  in  which  a  man  can  li 
and  grow.  I  am  succeeding  in  the  school  here  better  than  I  had  a\.y 
reason  to  hope,  but  yet  my  heart  will  never  be  satisfied  to  spend  my 
life  in  teaching.  Indeed,  1  never  expect  to  be  satisfied  in  this  life ;  but 
yet  I  think  there  are  other  fields  in  which  one  can  do  more.  I  have 
been  for  some  time— indeed,  for  years— thinking  of  the  law,  though  my 
early  prejudices  were  very  strong  against  it.  How  far  these  objections 
were  valid,  and  how  far  not  so,  I  can  hardly  tell.  1  have  been  reading 
law  a  little  from  time  to  time,  and  should  I  conclude  to  practice  I  could 
begin  without  a  great  deal  of  delay.  I  would  like  to  hear  your 
thoughts  upon  it,  and  know  what  plan  of  life  is  lying  before  you. 

The  friends  of  our  former  days  are  being  scattered  one  by  one- 
some  to  their  homes  in  the  grave— and  others  to  their  homes  in  the 
wide,  cold  world.  Harriet  and  Phebe  Boynton  are  both  married,  and 
Cordelia  will  be  soon.  This  and  the  death  of  William  has  broken 
that  household.  Of  those  who  assembled  in  the  Eclectic  halls  with  you 
and  me,  but  a  few  are  near  you  or  me.  Everest  is  married,  and  living 
in  the  house  where  Thomas  Young  formerly  lived.  Barbara  Fisk  is  mar- 
ried to  a  young  Downing,  that  was  a  student  here.  Ellen  McCleery 
•was  married  to  Frank  Wood  a  few  days  since,  and  John  Harnit  and 
Ellen  were  here  at  the  wedding,  with  a  rosy-cheeked  boy  of  theirs. 

How  much  I  wish  that  we  could  sit  down  together  and  renew  in 
memory  the  scenes  of  former  years.  But  life  presses  its  work — its  du- 
ties are  urging  us  onward — each  in  his  path  of  life.  There  are  many 
roads — but  the  great  goal,  the  Eternity  toward  which  we  hasten,  is  the 
same.      May  we  so  live  that  we  may  meet  there. 

Give  my  love  to  Mary,  and  let  me  know  of  your  success  in  your 
Southern  home.  When  do  you  return?  and  "  when  shall  we  three  meet 
again  ?" 

With  a  love  that  time  can  not  destroy,  I  am, 

Your  own  friend  and  brother, 

James. 

Among  my  Arkansas  acquaintances  whom  I  re- 
member with  pleasure,  was  John  W.  Baar,  of  Camden. 
He  was  born  in  Mexico,  of  English  parents,  and  was  a 
man  of  fine  ability  and  good  education,  and  I  received 
many  acts  of  kindness  from  him.  After  the  close  of 
the  war  of  the  Rebellion  I  had  several  letters  from 
him,  from  which   I  learned    that  he  entered  the  rebel 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  269 

army  on  the  commencement  of  hostilities,  and  fought 
through  until  the  final  surrender.  During  the  time  his 
excellent  wife  died,  his  property  was  destroyed,  and  he 
left  the  army  with  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  in 
Confederate  money  as  the  sum  of  his  earthly  posses- 
sions. He  never  owned  a  slave,  and  had  no  personal 
interest  in  the  slaveholders'  war,  and  could  not  have 
been  in  favor  of  disunion.  I  have  not  heard  of  him 
for  many  years. 

Under  date  of  April  20,  1858,  I  have  noted  in  my 
journal : 

Dr.  Comer's  overseer,  named  Goyne,  whipped  one  of  his  slaves  so 
awfully  that  he  died  within  one-fourth  of  a  mile  of  the  place.  Com- 
ments are  unnecessary  :  all  right  under  the  "patriarchal  institution." 
The  murderer  will  receive  no  punishment  whatever  for  his  crime.  My 
authority  for  the  above  is  old  Mr.  Duckworth,  a  planter  owning  a 
drove  of  slaves. 

On  the  22nd  of  May  I  received  the  following  letter: 

Hiram,  March  23,  1858. 

My  Dear  Corydon :— Your  two  favors  are  before  me.  I  have  been 
busier  this  winter  than  in  any  other  period  of  my  life.  I  have  had  the 
most  to  do  in  two  or  three  protracted  meetings.  One  in  Hiram,  34 
additions;  one  in  Newburgh,  20  additions.  I  have  spoken  every  Sun- 
day, and  fulfilled  my  duties  as  teacher  and  manager  of  the  school. 

We  have  just  got  the  spring  term  started,  with  about  sixty  more 
than  we  ever  had  in  the  spring  before.  We  already  number  207,  and 
they  are  still  coming  in. 

In  reference  to  my  future  course,  I  am  greatly  puzzled  to  decide. 
The  decision  must  come,  however,  before  long.  I  am  teaching  the 
following  classes  this  term :  Grammar,  English  Literature,  Mental 
Philosophy,  Thucydides  (Greek),  Sallust  and  Horace. 

You  must  be  quite  lonely  with  Mary  so  far  away  from  you,  but  she 
is  having  a  fine  time,  I  doubt  not,  in  her  happy  Butler  home.  How 
vividly  it  brings  to  my  mind  the  sweet  memories  of  years  ago,  when  we 
three  were  seated  in  her  parlor,  reading  the  beautiful  dream  visions  of 
Donald  G.  Mitchell !     I   have   experienced   some  of  the  sunshine   and 


270 


REMINISCENCES    OF 


some  of  the  sadness  of  which  he  speaks.  I  know  that  you  do  not  for- 
get those  scenes. 

I  am  pleased  with  the  views  of  slavery  you  give  in  your  letters.  I 
mean,  I  am  pleased  with  the  way  you  handle  the  subject.  Many  of 
our  white-hearted  Northerners  go  South,  and  see  a  little  of  Southern 
hospitality,  and  then  suppose  that  slavery  is  all  right,  because  all  the 
masters  are  not  cut-throats.  I  recognize  in  you  the  Northern  backbone 
which  you  carried  when  you  were  here. 

Who  can  read  the  doings  of  the  present  Administration  and  Con- 
gress, and  not  feel  his  whole  soul  aroused  at  the  enormities  and  the 
cursedness  of  slavery?  I  am  always  pleased  to  read  your  letters,  and 
if  mine  must  frequently  be  short  and  hurried,  you  must  bear  with  me, 
and  not  forget  that  my  heart  is  ever  the  same  toward  you. 

When  you  write  to  Mary,  send  her  my  love.  Write  to  me  soon, 
and  tell  me  more  of  your  experiences  and  hopes. 

With  a  friendship  and  love  that  know  no  change   "  by  changing 

Time,"  I  am  your  brother, 

James. 

I  remained  in  Arkansas  until  the  26th  of  August. 
The  time  from  the  early  spring  had  been  spent  in  efforts 
to  close  up  my  agency  business,  which  I  had  found  to 
be  a  work  both  slow  and  difficult  to  accomplish.  Un- 
fortunately, I  had  ordered  quite  a  large  number  of 
copies  of  the  expensive  work  I  was  trying  to  sell,  and 
they  must  be  sold,  or  I  could  not  meet  my  obligations 
to  the  publishers.  So  all  through  the  hot  and  un- 
healthy summer  I  had  traveled  through  the  cane-brakes 
and  swamps  of  Arkansas,  half  sick  with  the  positive 
knowledge  that  every  day  I  was  not  only  periling  my 
health,  but  losing  money,  and,  for  a  considerable  part 
of  the  time,  suffering  from  the  ague.  More  than  once 
that  terrible  summer,  when  the  awful  chill,  like  the 
cold  touch  of  Death's  palsying  fingers,  crept  over  me, 
did  I  alight  from  my  horse,  and,  under  a  tree  by  the 
roadside,  lie  down  with  my  saddle-bags  for  a  pillow, 
and  wait  until  the  cold  stage  passed  off  and  the  burning 


JAMES   A.    GARFIELD.  21/! 

fever  had  succeeded  it,  and  then  continue  my  sad  pil- 
grimage. 

The  fore  part  of  the  season  had  been  very  rainy, 
and  the  creeks  and  bayous  had  become  rivers.  In  sum- 
mer the  Bayou  Mason  and  Bayou  Bartholomew  become 
so  small  that  one  can  cross  them  at  almost  any  point 
without  difficulty,  but  in  winter  and  spring  they  be- 
come rivers,  upon  which  the  largest  steamer  could  eas- 
ily be  navigated.  In  fact,  the  entire  bottom,  from  the 
Mississippi  to  the  hills,  a  distance  of  nearly  forty  miles, 
becomes  almost  impassable,  all  the  lower  ground  being 
entirely  overflowed.  So  along  the  Saline  and  Ouachita, 
the  low  bottom  lands  are  submerged,  in  some  places  to 
a  width  of  ten  or  twelve  miles.  When  the  waters  fi- 
nally disappear,  and  the  burning  sun  of  July  and  August 
penetrates  the  damp  dark  forests  along  these  streams, 
the  miasma  spreads  over  the  whole  adjacent  region,  and 
every  human  being  suffers  from  it.  It  is  probable  that 
the  negroes  endure  it  better  than  the  whites,  but  from 
a  discussion  I  heard  at  Camden  I  inferred  that  in  the 
opinion  of  intelligent  planters  it  was  not  conducive  to 
the  longevity  even  of  slaves.  The  point  was  raised 
Avhether  it  was  not  more  profitable  to  grow  cotton  on 
the  high,  rolling  land,  where  the  yield  was  only  half  or 
three-fourths  of  a  bale  to  the  acre,  or  in  the  river  bot- 
toms, where  from  a  bale  to  a  bale  and  a  half  could  eas- 
ily be  raised.  In  the  former  case  the  slaves  would  last 
very  much  longer,  and  the  pickaninnies  would  live  and 
become  valuable,  while  in  the  bottoms  the  slaves  would 
not  live  over  six  or  eight  years  and  all  the  little  ones 
would  die,  and  thus  no  profit  could  be  realized  from 
this  source.  In  the  course  of  the  discussion  one  of  the 
planters  brought  up  the  case  of  a  young  man  who  had 


272  REMINISCENCES    OF 

not  long  before  entered  into  possession  of  the  estate  of 
his  late  lamented  father.  The  old  man  did  not  believe 
it  paid  to  raise  the  little  niggers.  He  raised  cotton  in 
the  bottom,  and  within  a  few  years  had  lost  one  hun- 
dred and  forty  little  niggers,  besides  many  old  ones. 
Now,  his  son  thought  he  could  make  it  pay  to  raise  the 
little  niggers.  He  had  fitted  up  a  house  on  the  high 
ground,  and  put  two  old  wenches  into  it  to  take  care  of 
the  children,  and  the  speaker  said  he  believed  Bob 
would  make  the  experiment  pay.  Bob  also  believed 
there  was  more  money  in  farming  the  uplands  than  the 
bottoms,  in  the  long  run. 

I  spent  from  the  2nd  to  the  6th  of  July  at  a  little  vil- 
lage in  Columbia  county,  called  Falcon,  attending  a 
meeting  of  the  Christian  churches  of  that  region,  and 
was  very  kindly  received  and  hospitably  entertained  by 
a  Bro.  Cook  and  his  excellent  family.  I  formed  the 
acquaintance  of  many  excellent  brethren,  besides  meet- 
ing many  others  with  whom  I  had  become  acquainted 
during  my  travels.  Four  weeks  later  my  kind  enter- 
tainer was  shot  in  one  of  the  rencounters  for  which  Ar- 
kansas was  then  famous.  His  son  was  badly  wounded, 
and  one  of  their  enemies  also  nearly  killed.  The  casus 
belli  was  a  political  difficulty,  in  which  Cook  fired  the 
first  shot. 

In  company  with  some  of  those  who  had  attended 
the  meeting,  I  journeyed  towards  Camden.  One  of 
the  party  owned  a  fine  plantation  ten  miles  west  of  that 
city,  and  we  were  his  guests.  He  said  during  the  eve- 
ning that  if  he  could  live  his  life  over  again  he  would 
never  own  a  slave.  He  had  always  been  an  anti-slavery 
man,  and  he  said  there  were  hundreds  of  them  in  the 
South,  but  they  dared  not  express  their  sentiments.    But 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  273 

he  did  not  see  what  he  could  do.  His  father  had  stip- 
ulated on  his  death  bed  that  the  slaves  should  never 
leave  the  family.  He  had  one  little  slave  girl  about 
twelve  years  old,  so  white  that  I  did  not  suspect  her  of 
belonging  to  the  servile  race. 

The  night  of  July  19,  1858,  I  spent  at  Henry  Tay- 
lor's, in  Claiborne  Parish,  Louisiana.  He  told  me  of  an 
Alabama  acquaintance  who  punished  his  runaway  slaves 
by  forty-eight  hours'  imprisonment  in  his  cotton  press, 
a  space  the  size  of  a  bale  of  cotton,  without  food  or 
drink,  and  then  he  exposed  them  to  the  fire  till  their 
backs  were  blistered,  when  he  took  a  card  and  scratched 
off  their  skin  and  flesh. 

It  was  impossible  to  avoid  hearing  of  the  unspeak- 
able horrors  of  the  slave  system.  The  people  every- 
where would  speak  about  it.  Many  times  I  found  it 
impossible  to  get  away  from  a  plantation  where  I  had 
called,  without  giving  offense — until  we  had  had  a  long 
talk  on  the  subject  of  slavery.  Of  course  I  had  learned 
that  no  Northern  man  could  speak  against  the  system. 
I  therefore  tried  to  avoid  the  subject,  but  found  it  im- 
possible. It  was  only  three  years  before  the  war,  and 
the  state  of  public  feeling  was  so  intensely  excited  that 
the  people  could  not  talk  or  think  of  anything  else. 

The  Methodist  Church  South  had  recently  expunged 
from  its  Discipline  the  article  forbidding  the  "buying 
and  selling  of  men,  women  and  children  with  the  inten- 
tion of  enslaving  them, "  so  that  it  need  not  hurt  a  man's 
standing  in  the  church  to  be  engaged  in  the  African 
slave  trade,  a  barbarism  which  all  civilized  nations  styled 
piracy  and  made  punishable  with  death. 

Henry  Le  May,  a  fine  old  gentleman,  a  life-long  Mis- 
sionary Baptist,  said  that  he  had  been   troubled  in   his 


274  REMINISCENCES    OF 

conscience  in  his  earlier  years  over  the  subject  of  slav- 
ery. One  of  his  slaves  was  an  excellent,  trustworthy, 
Christian  man,  a  member  of  the  same  church  as  himself. 
He  had  made  him  overseer  of  one  of  his  plantations, 
and  to  maintain  the  necessary  discipline,  he  was  fre- 
quently obliged  to  whip  him  for  the  fault  of  the  slaves 
who  were  under  him.  Could  it  be  right  thus  to  flog  his 
Christian  brother?  He  had  at  one  time  had  doubts,  but 
for  many  years  all  had  been  clear.  The  Bible  said, 
"Whom  the  Lord  loveth  He  chasteneth,"  and  now  he 
could  see  how  he  could  use  the  cowhide  as  a  manifesta- 
tion of  his  Christian  love  ! 

On  the  2nd  of  August  I  met  a  funeral  procession. 
The  hearse  was  an  ox-cart,  and  the  father  of  the  dead 
boy  drove  the  oxen.  Two  or  three  women  followed  on 
horseback.  At  another  time  I  saw  the  rough  coffin  in 
which  were  the  remains  of  a  woman,  carried  in  a  rude 
wagon,  drawn  by  a  horse  upon  which  rode  along-legged 
man,  while  the  orphan  children  rode  upon  their 
mother's  coffin.  When  the  grave  was  reached, 
they  buried  her,  with  no  word  of  prayer  or  other 
ceremony. 

On  the  5  th  day  of  August  I  drove  to  Marie  Saline 
Landing  to  await  the  steamer  Red  Chief,  upon  which  I 
was  to  receive  a  box  of  books.  I  found  the  place  to 
consist  solely  of  a  warehouse  built  upon  posts  to  be 
above  the  high  water  mark,  with  not  another  building 
within  five  miles.  One  white  man  and  one  negro  slave 
were  the  sole  inhabitants.  In  this  lonely,  deadly  spot 
I  remained  until  the  8th,  when  the  steamer  finally  ar- 
rived. I  have  mentioned  these  awful  days,  because 
during  this  time  I  breathed  in  so  terrible  a  portion  of 
the  miasma  of  the   swamps   that  for  many  months  it 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  275 

seemed   scarcely   possible  that   I  should  ever  be  well 
again. 

The  water  in  the  Saline  river  had  subsided  to  a  very- 
low  stage,  and  small  alligators  and  slimy  water  snakes 
crawled  out  upon  the  sandy  slopes  along  the  edge  of 
the  stream.  There  was  in  the  warehouse  one  old  book, 
with  about  half  the  leaves  out  of  it  ;  no  other  reading 
matter  of  any  kind.  It  was  the  loneliest  spot  I  remem- 
ber ever  to  have  seen.  The  road  out  to  the  higher 
ground  was  through  a  dense  forest,  and  the  trees  showed 
that  the  water  had  been  from  eight  to  ten  feet  deep  for 
several  miles  back  from  the  river  during  the  recent 
overflow. 

On  the  8th  of  August,  as  I  have  stated,  the  steamer 
reached  the  landing,  and  having  secured  my  books,  I 
started  at  once  for  the  settlements.  I  felt  that  I  had 
reached  a  point  where  only  a  few  days  more  would 
close  my  business  so  that  I  could  return  to  the  North, 
and  I  lost  no  time.  One  thing  which  made  me  more 
than  ever  anxious  to  get  away  was  the  knowledge  that 
I  was  threatened  with  being  driven  out  of  the  country 
on  account  of  my  supposed  anti-slavery  sentiments. 

With  each  passing  day  my  hatred  of  slavery  had  be- 
come more  intense,  and  though  I  had  been  as  discreet 
as  possible  in  the  expression  of  my  opinions,  yet  a  few 
had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  I  was  not  sound  in  the 
,faith,  and  had  suggested  to  each  other  the  propriety  of 
hastening  my  departure.  So  long  as  I  had  said  nothing 
of  leaving,  and  there  seemed  a  probability  that  I  might 
make  Arkansas  my  permanent  home  I  was  in  little 
danger,  but  as  soon  as  it  became  known  that  it  was  my 
intention  soon  to  leave,  the  chivalrous  slave-driver  in- 
ferred that  I  must  be  an  abolitionist.      But  I  had  deter- 


276  REMINISCENCES    OF 

mined  as  speedily  as  possible  to  return  to  a  country 
where  one  could  think  and  speak  his  honest  sentiments 
without  endangering  his  life,  and  on  the  26th  of  August, 
1858,  I  started  for  home. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE    PINE    WOODS    OF    NORTHERN     MICHIGAN.  —  MR.    GAR- 
FIELD   ELECTED    TO    THE    OHIO    SENATE. 

The  pages  of  my  old  journal,  upon  which  I  was  ac- 
customed, at  no  little  risk,  to  note  the  incidents  of  each 
day  during  my  weary  pilgrimage  in  Arkansas  and 
Louisiana,  contain  occasional  attempts  at  poetry,  often 
written  to  while  away  hours  of  the  most  intense  loneli- 
ness which  I  have  ever  experienced. 

The  leaden  hours  of  one  dreary  day  in  January, 
1858,  were  somewhat  lightened  by  spending  them  in 
writing  the  following : 

LADY  LESLIE. 

Colder  than  the  wintry  starlight,  £ 

Sleeping  on  the  drifted  snow, 
Was  the  heart  of  Lady  Leslie, 

In  the  days  of  long  ago. 

Lady  Leslie  was  a  Christian — 

So,  at  least,  she  claimed  to  be — 
And  her  robes  of  silk  and  satin 

Came  from  far  beyond  the  sea. 

Blessed  by  heaven  with  worldly  riches, 
And  all  that  mortal  heart  could  crave, 

Lady  Leslie  ne'er  remembered 
She  must  leave  all  at  the  grave. 

From  her  door  a  half-clad  orphan, 
Naught  to  shield  his  shivering  form, 


278  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Once  by  cruel  words  was  driven 
Forth  into  the  blinding  storm. 

With  the  night's  dark  curtain  'round  him, 

With  the  damp,  cold  earth  his  bed, 
Mid  the  thunder  and  the  darkness 

Back  to  God  his  spirit  fled. 

Yet  the  stately  Lady  Leslie 

Dropped  a  tear  for  "  Erin's  woes," 
And  she  wept  that  heathen  children 

Perished  where  the  Ganges  flows. 

Lady  Leslie  had  forgotten 

That  the  Lord's  apostle  said, 
Pure  and  undefiled  religion 

Was  to  give  the  orphan  bread — 

Was  to  seek  the  couch  of  suffering, 

And  to  dry  the  mourner's  tear; 
Watch  beside  the  dying  pillow, 

And  the  widow*s  heart  to  cheer. 

Again,  a  few  days  later,  I  find  the  following : 
LINES  FOR  AN  ALBUM. 

W^at  gem  shall  I  call  from  the  treasures  of  truth 
As  an  offering  to  thee  in  the  freshness  of  youth  ? 
What  thoughts  on  thy  Album's  smooth  page  shall  I  trace 
That  Time's  busy  fingers  can  never  efface? 

Since  all  that  is  earthly  must  vanish  away, 
Since  Life's  brightest  hopes  often  fade  in  a  day, 
Since  the  brilliance  of  noonday  is  followed  with  gloom, 
And  the  glory  of  life  by  the  night  of  the  tomb — 

Then  let  each  fleeting  moment  some  pleasure  impart, 
To  some  sad  and  desponding  and  desolate  heart; 
And  when  Life's  brittle  ties  by  Death's  hand  shall  be  riven, 
Secure  with  the  good,  you  shall  find  rest  in  heaven. 

It  will  be  remembered  that,  in  1858,  in  Southern  Ar- 
kansas, the  principal  amusements  of  the  wealthier  plan- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  279 

ters  and  their  sons,  were  drinking,  gambling  and  hunt- 
ing ;  and  little  interest  was  manifested  in  education,  or 
in  anything  else  not  connected  with  cotton-raising  and 
the  increase  of  slave  property.  To  one  educated 
among  the  "mudsills"  of  the  North,  the  tastes,  em- 
ployments and  amusements  of  such  a  people  were  not 
very  highly  appreciated,  and  such  want  of  appreciation 
was  expressed  in  the  following  lines : 

Ancient  moralists  tell  us  true  happiness  lies 

In  improving  each  moment  of  time  as  it  flies ; 

But  the  moderns  have  learned  that  it  always  abounds 

In  possessing  a  gun  and  a  good  pack  of  hounds. 

'T  was  the  silly  conceit  of  some  lunatic  wild, 
That  long  years  of  training  were  good  for  a  child ; 
But  progression  has  shown  a  more  feasible  plan, 
For  transforming  by  magic  a  child  to  a  man. 

Education 's  a  humbug  and  learning  a  cheat ; 
They  provide  you  with  nothing  to  wear  or  to  eat ; 
And  the  world  all  believe  that  the  "chief  end  of  man" 
Is  to  keep  all  he  gets  and  to  get  all  he  can. 

Of  what  use  is  the  college  ?  its  Latin  and  Greek 
Is  a  horrible  jargon  that  no  one  can  speak ; 
And  what  matters  it,  pray,  to  this  wonderful  age, 
Whether  Caesar  was  greatest  as  warrior  or  sage  ? 

Go  see  the  poor  pedagogue  cooped  in  his  den, 
Dispensing  instruction  to  miniature  men ; 
Perseverance  and  talent  in  him  are  combined, 
To  develop  and  polish  the  infantile  mind. 

Half  a  lifetime  he 's  spent  to  prepare  for  his  task, 
And  what  is  his  salary,  pray  let  me  ask  ? 
You  '11  find  that  he  gets  but  five  hundred  a  year, 
While  a  thousand  's  the  price  of  a  good  overseer. 

Old  fogy  philosophers,  childish  and  blind, 

Long  have  talked  of  the  grandeur  and  greatness  of  mind ; 


280  REMINISCENCES    OF 

But  the  myth  is  exploded,  and  men  in  our  times 
Always  estimate  greatness  in  dollars  and  dimes. 

Fools  may  prate  as  they  please  about  gold  being  trash; 
The  standard  of  all  things  in  this  world  is  cash; 
And  the  man  is  not  shrewd,  as  I  've  already  said, 
Who  pays  dimes  from  his  pocket  for  sense  in  his  head. 

The    following  was  written   at   Camden,    Ark.,   in 
August,  1858,  a  few  days  before  leaving  for  the  North: 

Long  I  've  been  a  lonely  stranger, 

Wandering  in  this  Southern  land ; 
Oft  beset  by  unseen  danger, 

Far  from  home  and  household  band. 

When  the  daylight  fades  to  darkness, 

And  the  twinkling  stars  grow  bright; 
When  the  vaulted  heavens  are  glowing, 

With  the  glories  of  the  night — 

Loneliness  steals  o'er  my  spirit, 

Like  a  shadow  o'er  the  sun ; 
And  I'm  weary,  ever  waiting 

Till  my  heavy  task  is  done. 

Though  the  frozen  snows  are  drifting 

Into  every  vale  and  nook; 
Though  the  Frost  King's  icy  fetters 

Fast  have  bound  each  babbling  brook — 

Yet  I  love  the  hills  and  valleys, 

Clad  like  Winter's  snow-robed  bride, 
Where  I  spent  the  years  of  childhood, 

More  than  every  land  beside, 

Here  I  see  the  towering  forest, 

Where  the  cypress  and  the  pine 
Rear  aloft  their  regal  columns, 

Interwoven  with  the  vine ; 

Here  the  never-fading  holly, 

With  the  slender,  graceful  cane, 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  28  I 

And  the  mighty  forest  monarch, 
Blend  their  beauties  on  the  plain. 

Yet  the  sterner,  grander  glories 

Clustered  round  the  mountain's  brow, 

And  the  broad  and  fertile  prairies, 
Burst  upon  my  vision  now  ; 

And  my  heart  beats  wilder,  faster, 

As  the  thronging  memories  rise ; 
And  the  homes  of  all  my  kindred 

Pass  before  my  longing  eyes. 

May  the  lazy  moments  hasten 

Till  my  eyes  once  more  behold 
Those  I  love  and  those  that  love  me, 

In  those  cherished  homes  of  old. 

As  stated  in  the  last  chapter,  I  left  Arkansas  on  the 
26th  of  August,  1858,  having  taken  passage  for  Cairo 
on  the  steamer  Delaware.  The  plantations  along  the 
river  had  nearly  all  been  inundated  in  June  and  July, 
and  in  place  of  the  beautiful  fields  of  cotton  which 
usually  at  this  season  of  the  year  are  in  their  glory, 
were  weary  wastes  half  covered  with  the  debris  left  by 
the  retreating  waters.  The  great  levees  which  for  hun- 
dreds of  miles  guard  the  homes  of  the  river  planters 
from  threatened  destruction  had  proved  insufficient  in 
very  many  places,  and  the  mad  waters,  like  a  hungry 
giant,  had  burst  their  frail  barriers  to  consume  and  de- 
stroy in  their  rapacious  and  merciless  greed.  We 
reached  Cairo  the  fifth  day,  and  from  thence  to  Chicago 
and  Mishawaka  required  another  day  ;  but  at  9  o'clock 
p.  m.  of  the  31st,  I  arrived  in  safety  at  my  father's 
house. 

I  had  been  absent  about  seventeen  months,  and 
aside  from  some  valuable  experience  I   had  made  noth- 


282  REMINISCENCES    OF 

ing.  But  I  had  brought  with  me  from  the  canebrake  and 
the  swamp  the  deep-seated  quartan  ague,  and  for  eight 
months  I  suffered  all  that  it  was  possible  for  me  to  en- 
dure and  live.  I  was  so  utterly  prostrated  that  for  a 
part  of  the  time  I  could  not  walk  across  a  room  with- 
out assistance.  Hope  nearly  died  during  those  bitter 
months  ;  I  could  not  work,  and  much  of  the  time  I 
could  neither  read  nor  write  ;  the  dark  and  gloomy 
days  slowly  dragged  along,  bringing  no  hours  of  sun- 
shine. 

In  November  we  received  the  wedding  card  of  Mr. 
Garfield  and  Miss  Rudolph,  who  were  married  on  the 
ioth  of  that  month.  Mr.  Garfield  was  27  years  old  on 
the  19th  of  the  same  month. 

During  the  winter  my  father  had  decided  to  return 
to  Michigan,  and  with  my  broken  health  and  poverty 
I  saw  no  other  way  than  to  accompany  him.  Our  re- 
moval from  Grand  Rapids  had  resulted  in  the  total 
wreck  of  our  hopes  and  the  loss  of  our  entire  property, 
besides  leaving  us  in  debt.  It  sometimes  seemed  to 
me  as  if  it  would  be  about  as  well  to  be  dead  as  to 
have  so  unsatisfactory  an  existence  prolonged. 

My  father  was  at  this  time  50  years  old,  and  of  a 
strong  constitution,  and  usually  of  a  hopeful  disposi- 
tion. The  loss  of  the  property  for  which  he  had  toiled 
so  hard  did  not  cause  him  to  abandon  effort,  but  he 
had  decided  as  soon  as  practicable  to  move  into  the  pine 
forests  of  Northern  Michigan,  and  there  seek  once  more 
to  build  a  home. 

We  left  Mishawaka  in  January,  but  Mrs.  Fuller  and 
I  spent  about  a  month  at  Galesburg,  Mich.,  with 
friends,  and  did  not  reach  Grand  Rapids  until  about  the 
middle  part  of  February.      I  was  still  suffering  from  the 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  283 

ague,  though  at  this  time  not  quite  so  severely  as  ear- 
lier in  the  season. 

In  April  we  decided  to  make  our  home  at  the  new 
town  of  Leonard,  now  known  as  Big  Rapids,  Mecosta 
county,  Mich.,  about  fifty  miles  north  of  the  city  of 
Grand  Rapids.  It  was  merely  a  lumber  station  ;  a. 
mill,  and  not  to  exceed  half  a  dozen  other  buildings, 
comprised  the  village,  in  the  dense  forest.  The  Muske- 
gon river  at  this  point  reached  a  lower  level,  by  a  mile 
and  a  half  of  gradual  descent,  affording  a  fine  water 
power,  and  showing  unmistakable  indications  that  Na- 
ture had  here  planned  for  a  city. 

The  only  means  of  access  was  by  the  heavy  lumber 
wagon,  over  horrible  trails  through  the  dark  woods, 
and  four  days  were  required  by  loaded  teams  to  make 
the  journey  from  Grand  Rapids  by  the  circuitous  route 
which  was  alone  passable.  From  the  last  human  habi- 
tation to  the  new  town  the  distance  was  eighteen  miles 
of  unbroken  forest.  Over  this  wild  and  solitary  stretch 
we  passed  May  1,  1859,  an<^  Jus^  at  dusk  reached  the 
little  cluster  of  rude  homes  in  the  wilderness. 

We  had  carried  with  us  a  small  stock  of  various 
articles  of  merchandise  such  as  would  be  needed  in  the 
new  settlement,  and  opened  the  first  store.  The  one 
notable  fact  which  I  remember  with  gratitude  is  that 
among  the  dark  pines  I  left  my  ague,  and  have  never 
had  a  touch  of  it  since;  though  more  than  twenty-five 
years  have  passed  away. 

The  village  had  been  surveyed  and  staked  out  with- 
out felling  one  of  the  giant  trees  which  thickly  covered 
its  side.  A  reservation  for  a  public  square  had  been 
planned,  and  the  lots  fronting  upon  it  seemed  to  me  to 
be  desirable,  and  I  selected  two,  which  in  due  time  were 


284  REMINISCENCES    OF 

cleared  of  the  very  heavy  timber  which  for  centuries 
had  grown  upon  them,  and  upon  one  of  them  I  erected 
my  house.  There  were  a  few  Indians  in  the  vicinity, 
and  from  them  we  purchased  furs,  deer  skins  and  veni- 
son, and  sold  them  powder,  articles  of  clothing,  etc. 

On  the  15th  of  May,  father  arrived  from  Grand 
Rapids,  and  brought  me  the  following  letter  from  Mr. 
Garfield  : 

Hiram,  May  6,  1859. 

My  Dear  Corydon: — Your  most  welcome  letter  has  been  unan- 
swered for  a  long  time,  and  now  I  take  a  moment  to  write  a  few  words 
to  you.  The  ladies  had  a  public  lyceum  last  evening,  and  one  of  the 
gentlemen's  societies  is  to  have  one  this  evening.  When  I  saw  the  au- 
dience filling  the  chapel,  and  the  young  minds  struggling  with  their 
embarrassment  and  presenting  the  fruits  of  their  intellectual  efforts,  I 
recalled  vividly  the  time  when  those  same  seats  were  filled,  and  an- 
other band  of  youth  stood  before  them,  and  you  and  I  were  among  the 
number.  I  tell  you,  Corydon,  as  the  thoughts  of  former  days  came 
•crowding  thick  and  fast  upon  me,  I  felt  my  heart  beating  wildly,  and 
I  wished  I  were  again  with  you,  a  student,  fired  by  the  same  ambition 
which  fired  us  then,  and  surrounded  by  the  hearts  who  cheered  us 
then.  Many,  alas!  how  many  that  were  then  by  our  sides  are  far 
away  !  How  they  are  scattered  !  Some  to  their  graveyard  homes,  and 
some  to  their  homes  in  the  wide,  cold  world  !  And  it  must  always  be 
thus :  one  ever-revolving  cycle  of  change,  which  knows  no  rest  this 
side  the  grave.  In  moments  of  weariness  like  this,  there  comes  over 
me  the  terrible  feeling  that  I  am  growing  old  ;  I  mean  that  I  am  being 
left  alone  by  those  who  were  with  me,  and  I  shudder  to  think  of  a  time 
when  there  will  be  near  me  none  who  knew  the  joy  of  those  early 
days.  When  the  names  and  scenes  which  were  so  sacred  to  me  shall 
sound  as  strange  words  to  those  around  me,  then  I  shall  lose  the  de- 
Hght  of  mutual  remembrances  of  the  past,  and  be  obliged  to  cherish 
them  in  the  chambers  of  the  memory  alone. 

We  are  well,  and  as  happy  as  mortals  usually  are  in  this  state  of 
existence.  I  am  very  hard  at  work,  and  hardly  have  time  for  the  sleep 
I  need,  but  yet  my  health  is  good.  We  have  a  school  of  over  two  hun- 
dred students.  I  wish  you  could  be  here  at  our  Commencement  on  the 
Qth  day  of  June.  The  yearly  meeting  is  here  the  Sunday  before.  Can't 
you  and  Mary  come  and  attend  both?     Do,  if  possible. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  285 

I  am  always  glad  to  hear  from  you  ;  and,  Corydon,  if  I  do  neglect 
to  answer  your  letters  promptly,  do  not  think  it  is  because  I  care  less 
for  you.  One  thing  in  my  nature  I  am  proud  of:  when  I  give  my 
heart  to  a  friend,  he  never  loses  it  but  by  his  own  desire  or  act ;  and 
while  I  live  you  may  know  I  love  you.  Crete  joins  me  in  love  to  both 
of  you.  Ever  yours, 

James. 

Twenty-five  years  have  wrought  wonderful  changes 
in  many  parts  of  our  wonderful  country.  In  1859,  the 
country  a  few  miles  north  of  Grand  Rapids  was  an  im- 
mense pine  forest,  interspersed  occasionally  with  tracts 
of  a  few  thousand  acres,  densely  covered  with  sugar 
maple,  elms,  linn,  beech,  ash,  and  other  hard  timber. 
Bordering  the  east  bank  of  the  Muskegon,  at  Big 
Rapids,  were  the  pines,  but  on  the  west  bank,  where 
the  town  was  located,  the  forest  was  of  the  hard  tim- 
ber I  have  named.  Two  railroads  now  reach  the  vil- 
lage, which  has  long  been  a  city,  and  its  present  inhab- 
itants will  hardly  realize  the  hardships  of  those  who 
laid  its  foundations  in  1859. 

The  enterprising  proprietors,  both  of  Lansing- 
burgh,  N.  Y. ,  have  been  dead  for  many  years. 

There  are  few  matters  of  lasting  interest  in  the  his- 
tory of  such  a  village,  and  after  the  first  few  weeks  had 
passed  we  found  life  very  monotonous.  We  had  but 
one  mail  a  week  ;  the  incidents  of  the  great  world 
reached  us  only  when  those  who  lived  in  the  centers  of 
civilization  had  half  forgotten  them.  Our  own  freight- 
teams  made  their  regular  trips  to  Grand  Rapids  about 
once  every  nine  days,  and  kept  our  store  supplied  with 
the  provisons  and  other  articles  of  trade  necessary  to 
supply  our  customers. 

We  took  the  New  York  Tribune,  and  papers  from 
Grand  Rapids,  etc.,  and  the  Atlantic  Monthly  after  Jan- 


286  REMINISCENCES    OF 

uary,  i860.  In  October,  1859,  came  the  tragic  story  of 
old  John  Brown,  of  Ossawattomie,  and  his  mad  capture 
of  Harper's  Ferry,  and  later,  the  incidents  of  his  trial 
and  execution. 

September  1 5  I  had  received  a  copy  of  the  Cleve- 
land Herald,  announcing  the  nomination  of  Mr.  Gar- 
field for  the  Ohio  Senate,  from  the  district  composed  of 
Portage  and  Summit  counties,  and  I  wrote  him  at 
once,  congratulating  him  upon  this,  and  here  is  his 
answer : 

Hiram,  Nov.  9,  1859. 

My  Dear  Cory  don : — Seven  weeks  have  elapsed  since  your  kind 
letter  of  Sept.  20  was  received.  I  desired  to  answer  it  immediately, 
but  it  found  me,  as  you  would  see  from  the  paper  I  sent  you,  in  the 
midst  of  the  campaign,  and  quite  unable  to  command  my  own  time. 

During  the  campaign  I  delivered  some  thirty  political  speeches, 
averaging  about  two  hours  each.  The  Democracy  and  a  few  envious 
Republicans  made  me  the  center  of  attack,  and  so  papers  and  stumpers 
were  acive  in  secret  and  open  slander  and  abuse.  Of  course  I  re- 
turned the  fire  with  interest. 

The  result  was  that  I  had  1,430  majority  in  the  two  counties 
(Summit  and  Portage),  it  being  130  more  votes  than  Gov.  Dennison 
obtained  in  the  same  territory. 

Long  ago,  you  know,  I  had  thoughts  of  a  public  career,  but  I 
fully  resolved  to  forego  it  all,  unless  it  could  be  obtained  without 
wading  through  the  mire  into  which  politicians  usually  plunge.  The 
nomination  was  tendered  me,  and  that  by  acclamation,  though  there 
were  five  candidates.  I  never  solicited  the  place,  nor  did  I  make  any 
bargain  to  secure  it.  I  shall  endeavor  to  do  my  duty,  and  if  I  never 
rise  any  higher,  I  hope  to  have  the  consolation  that  my  manhood  is 
unsullied  by  the  past. 

I  wish  that  you  and  I  could  be  associated  in  some  work  in  life, 
and  I  shall  hope  that  your  health  may  be  restored  to  you  in  full,  and 
the  sun  rise  on  the  future  of  your  home  in  the  West. 

Our  school  is  in  as  prosperous  condition  as  it  ever  was  before.  We 
closed  the  last  term  with  270  students  in  attendance — and  its  strength 
is  increasing. 

We  have  just  returned  from  attending  a  Teachers'  Institute  of  one 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  287 

week's  continuance,  in  Stark  county,  and  next  Tuesday  begin  the  work 
of  a  new  term. 

Lucretia  and  Almeda  send  love  to  you  and  Mary,  and  I  hope  to 
hear  from  you  often. 

Forever  and  ever,  your  brother, 

James. 

In  the  notes  in  my  journal,  recording  the  receipt 
of  the  above  letter,  I  wrote:  "He  is  bound  to  rise; 
he  will  be  in  Congress  before  five  years."  My  proph- 
ecy was  fulfilled  four  years  later. 

One  of  the  privileges  to  which  we  had  been  accus- 
tomed, and  which  we  sadly  missed  in  our  new  home  in 
the  wilderness,  was  the  attendance  upon  religious  ser- 
vices on  the  Lord's  day.  We  found  Sunday  the  long 
and  lonesome  day  of  the  week,  and  could  not  become 
reconciled  to  the  heathenish  customs  which  so  generally 
prevailed.  There  was  not  a  minister  of  the  gospel  in 
the  whole  county,  and  for  several  months  after  our  arri- 
val there  were  no  religious  meetings  of  any  kind, 
though  several  of  the  citizens  were  members  of 
churches,  and  were  anxious  to  spend  the  first  day  of 
the  week  as  they  had  been  accustomed  to  do  in  the 
homes  they  had  left. 

We  completed  a  school-house  in  the  fall  of  1859,  ano^ 
at  the  urgent  request  of  the  citizens,  for  many  months 
I  was  pressed  into  the  service,  and  taught  as  well  as  I 
was  able  the  great  truths  of  the  everlasting  gospel  to 
those  who  cared  to  come  together  on  each  returning 
Lord's  day. 

The  inhabitants  were,  many  of  them,  intelligent 
and  well  educated  ;  some  were  rough  and  rude,  but 
there  were  none  who  did  not  treat  with  respect  the  sub- 
ject of  religion.  At  times  the  school-house  would  be 
filled  with  those  who  were  anxious  to  hear  the  old  yet 


288  REMINISCENCES    OF 

ever  new  story  of  the  Man  of  Sorrows,  who  came  from 
heaven  to  teach  earth's  toiling  multitudes  the  way  of 
life ;  some  could  sing  the  grand  old  hymns  which  loyal 
hearts  delighted  to  raise  in  honor  of  their  princely 
Saviour,  and  the  worship  was  as  sincere  as  that  in  more 
pretentious  temples. 

I  remember  one  rough  lumberman,  who  thought 
nothing  of  embellishing  his  conversation  with  rude 
oaths,  and  whose  daily  life  was  not  above  criticism,  yet 
I  am  certain  he  would  have  resented  the  slightest  word 
of  disrespect  shown  to  any  of  those  who  participated 
in  the  services,  and  would  have  fought  for  me  as  for  a. 
brother. 

One  day  a  lady  came  to  my  house  and  said  she  felt  it 
her  duty  to  be  baptized,  and  that  she  was  unwilling  to 
postpone  the  performance  of  what  .she  believed  to  be 
her  duty.  While  I  had  never  regarded  myself  as  a 
minister,  I  had  always  believed  that  any  disciple  of  the 
Master  had  a  right  to  do  for  him  whatever  ought  to  be 
done,  and  I  decided  that  I  ought  not  to  refuse.  Word 
was  accordingly  given  that  at  dusk  that  evening  the 
ordinance  of  baptism  would  be  administered  in  the 
Muskegon  river,  and  at  the  appointed  hour  almost  all 
the  inhabitants  of  the  village  had  gathered  on  the  river 
bank. 

The  water  was  clear  as  crystal,  and  the  soft  air  of 
the  summer  evening  was  hushed,  and  the  song 

"  In  all  my  Lord's  appointed  ways 
My  journey  I  '11  pursue  " 

echoed  across  the  still  waters,  which  for  the  first  time 
were  to  be  used  in  the  sacred  ordinance. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  289 

My  friend,  the  lumberman,  with  a  long  staff,  at 
once  waded  into  the  river  to  select  a  suitable  spot,  and 
then  "  we  went  down  both  into  the  water,"  and  she  was 
"buried  with  her  Lord  in  baptism,"  and  arose  I  trust 
to  walk  with  him  through  life's  pilgrimage. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

GARFIELD    IN    THE    SENATE. — ELECTION    OF  ABRAHAM  LIN- 
COLN. — SECESSION. 

In  the  last  chapter  I  gave  some  account  of  my  ex- 
perience as  a  substitute  for  a  minister,  and  I  may  add 
that  seldom  has  any  mortal  been  employed  at  greater 
variety  of  duties  than  those  which  employed  my  time 
while  at  Big  Rapids.  I  was  clerk  and  book-keeper  in 
the  only  store  ;  Notary  Public  and  Justice  of  the  Peace  ; 
insurance  agent,  carpenter  and  joiner,  shingle  manu- 
facturer, school  teacher  during  the  winter ;  and  corres- 
pondent for  about  a  dozen  papers  and  other  publica- 
tions. 

Our  mails  were  provokingly  slow  and  irregular,  and 
the  following  letter  from  Mr.  Garfield  did  not  reach  me 
until  January  26 : 

Senate  Chamber,      ) 
Columbus,  O.,  Jan.  7,  i860,  j 

My  Dear  Corydon : — Your  letter  of  more  than  a  month  ago  has 
lain  unanswered  because  of  my  hurry  in  preparing  for  the  approach  of 
the  Legislature.  I  have  read  a  large  part  of  Blackstone,  and  some 
other  works  which  I  thought  would  be  of  use  to  me  this  winter  and 
hereafter. 

1  came  here  the  30th  of  December,  and  on  Monday,  the  2nd  of 
January,  the  session  began.  We  have  been  thus  far  chiefly  occupied  in 
preliminary  business,  though  there  has  been  some  discussion,  and  the 
"  irrepressible  conflict  "  has  been  aroused  to  some  extent.  Next  Mon- 
day Gov.  Dennison  will  be  inaugurated,  and  then  we  shall  be  ready  to 

work  in  earnest. 

290 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  2C)I 

I  do  not  intend  to  say  a  great  deal  this  winter,  though  I  have  been 
drawn  into  some  little  debate  already.  Nor  do  I  intend  to  sit  still  and 
do  nothing. 

I  should  be  delighted  to  meet  you  and  Mary  once  more,  and  renew 
the  days  and  memories  of  long  ago.  Years  have  no  power  to  chill  the 
affections  of  the  heart.  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  your  health  is  good, 
for  that  has  been  my  great  fear  for  you,  that  you  would  not  be  able  to 
meet  the  emergencies  of  life  in  consequence  of  poor  health.  I  am  also 
glad  to  hear  that  you  are  speaking  to  the  people  of  that  new  region  on 
the  subject  of  the  gospel.  Much  more  good  can  be  done  there  than 
where  prejudice  has  already  assumed  the  place  of  candor. 

I  want  you  to  write  me  again,  and  tell  Mary  to  write,  too — or, 
better,  tell  her  to  write  to  Crete,  now  in  her  temporary  widowhood.  I 
would  write  more,  but  I  must  keep  watch  of  all  the  movements  of  our 
body.  We  have  a  fine  company  of  men.  I  am  the  youngest  of 
them  all. 

With  the  love  of  early  and  later  years,  I  am  now,  as  ever, 

Your  brother, 

James. 

An  examination  of  the  Journal  of  the  Senate  of 
Ohio  for  the  sessions  of  i860  and  1861,  shows  that  Mr. 
Garfield  was  seldom  absent  from  his  seat,  and  that  he 
took  an  active  and  intelligent  part  in  the  legislation. 
Though  only  twenty-eight  years  old,  he  at  once  took  a 
prominent  place  among  his  fellow-members,  and  was 
recognized  as  a  rising  man.  In  March,  i860,  I  received 
a  copy  of  the  Cleveland  Herald,  giving  an  account  of 
Mr.  Garfield's  visit  to  Louisville,  as  a  committee  to  in- 
vite the  Legislatures  of  Tennessee  and  Kentucky  to 
visit  Columbus,  and  a  full  report  of  the  speech  on  that 
occasion.  The  Legislatures  of  those  States  had  met  at 
Louisville  to  celebrate  the  completion  of  a  railroad 
joining  that  city  and  Nashville.  His  speech  was 
warmly  complimented,  and  served  to  bring  him  promi- 
nently  before    the    public;    and   the   reporter    for  the 


292  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Herald  spoke  of  him  as  "  one  of  the  ablest  men  in  the 
Senate. " 

With  me,  the  spring  and  summer  of  i860,  seemed 
to  drag  very  slowly.  I  could  not  be  contented  in  my 
home  in  the  wilderness.  I  had  contracted  with  my 
father  to  work  for  him  for  about  one  dollar  a  day,  and 
as  my  many  months  of  helplessness  the  preceding  year 
had  not  only  exhausted  my  means,  but  left  me  badly 
in  debt,  I  could  not  leave  to  seek  a  more  satisfactory 
location. 

On  the  1 6th  of  May,  i860,  the  Republican  National 
Convention  met  at  Chicago  to  nominate  candidates  for 
President  and  Vice  President  of  the  United  States,  but 
it  was  not  until  the  24th  that  we  received  news  of  its 
action.  Our  mail  arrived  on  Thursday  of  each  week, 
and  as  it  was  brought  on  horseback,  in  case  there  was 
more  than  could  easily  be  brought  a  part  was  laid  over 
until  next  trip.  We  usually  received  about  a  dozen 
papers  each  mail,  as  well  as  the  Atlantic  Monthly  and  a 
few  other  magazines,  after  they  were  two  weeks  old. 

The  news  of  the  nomination  of  Abraham  Lincoln 
was  very  satisfactory  to  the  majority  of  our  people,  and 
we  at  once  organized  a  club  to  aid  in  his  election.  We 
did  not  learn  the  results  of  the  Democratic  Convention 
at  Baltimore  until  the  28th  of  June.  Thus  we  heard 
of  the  great  movements  of  the  outside  world,  while  we 
were  isolated  from  its  life  and  strife. 

With  the  hot  summer  came  much  sickness,  and  a 
few  deaths.  We  had  only  one  physician,  and  he  had 
only  recently  entered  the  ranks  of  that  profession,  and 
perhaps  it  had  been  better  for  his  fellow-mortals  if  he 
had  devoted  his  talents  to  some  other  field  of  labor. 

In  September  came  the  session  of  our  Circuit  Court,. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  293 

his  honor  F.  J.  Littlejohn  being  the  presiding  Judge. 
It  was  the  first  court  of  criminal  jurisdiction  which  had 
ever  been  held  in  the  country,  and  among  the  cases 
heard  was  one  of  very  rare  occurrence,  though  society 
would  be  greatly  benefited  if  a  few  more  could  result 
as  that  one  did.  An  old  man,  named  Van  Tassel,  with 
a  smattering  of  legal  knowledge,  but  utterly  devoid  of 
principle,  had  come  into  the  village  a  few  months  be- 
fore, and  in  his  eagerness  for  business  had  induced  a 
number  of  persons  to  bring  suits  for  the  collection  of 
mythical  debts,  and  had  done  all  in  his  power  to 
stimulate  business.  The  proprietors  of  the  town  plat 
had  lost  their  account  books  by  a  fire  which  consumed 
their  office,  and  the  old  pettifogger  had  induced  many 
of  the  former  hands  to  sue  for  pretended  wages, 
though  the  same  had  long  since  been  paid. 

Under  the  statutes  of  Michigan  at  that  time,  any 
offense  which  was  indictable  at  common  law  was  declared 
to  be  a  misdemeanor  which  might  be  punished  by  fine 
and  imprisonment,  and  under  the  common  law  the  stir- 
ring up  of  law-suits,  termed  barratry,  was  such  an  of- 
fense. Accordingly  a  warrant  was  sworn  out  before 
me,  as  Justice  of  the  Peace,  for  the  arrest  of  Matthias 
W.  Van  Tassel,  on  a  charge  of  barratry.  It  would  be 
impossible  to  describe  adequately  the  indignation  of 
the  prisoner  when  he  made  his  appearance. 

I  gave  the  case  a  long  and  patient  hearing,  and 
studied  the  law  as  well  as  my  limited  facilities  would 
permit,  and  feeling  fully  satisfied  that  justice  demanded 
his  punishment,  I  held  him  for  trial,  fixing  his  bond 
at  $200.  He  vowed  he  would  go  to  jail  rather  than  sub- 
mit to  my  order,  and  accordingly  I  made  out  a  mit. 
timus,  ordering  the  Sheriff  to  take   him   to   Newaygo 


294 


REMINISCENCES    OF 


county  jail  to  be  held  until  our  court  in  September. 
This  was  the  24th  of  July,  and  only  twenty  days  after 
I  had  assumed  my  office.  But  when  the  accused  found 
there  was  no  use  of  blustering,  he  furnished  bail. 

Of  course  I  was  quite  anxious  to  see  what  the  re- 
sult would  be  when  the  case  came  on  before  the  higher 
court,  with  a  Judge  of  the  extensive  learning  and  high 
character  of  Judge  Littlejohn.  Van  Tassel  had  his  trial, 
and  was  convicted  and  fined  $100,  and  if  not  paid,  was 
to  be  committed  to  jail  for  sixty  days.  The  learned 
Judge  said  it  was  the  first  and  only  case  of  the  kind 
which  had  ever  come  before  him,  though  the  law  was  a 
wholesome  one,  and  the  community  would  be  greatly 
benefited  if  it  were  frequently  enforced.  The  effect  in 
that  part  of  the  country  was  very  salutary. 

On  the  nth  of  October  the  following  reached  me: 

Hiram,  Oct.  3,  i860. 

My  Dear  Corydon: — I  never  felt  that  I  needed  your  ..pardon  so 
much  as  now :  your  two  letters  lie  before  me,  so  long  unanswered,  and 
One  of  them  on  business,  too.  But  you  can  hardly  imagine  in  what  a 
whirlpool  of  excitement  and  work  my  life  is  passing.  I  had  the  good 
— or  bad — fortune  to  make  a  speech  in  the  State  Convention  in  Colum- 
bus, in  July,  which  was  somewhat  applauded  throughout  the  State,  so 
much  so,  at  least,  as  to  overwhelm  me  with  calls  for  speeches.  I  have 
made  more  than  forty  within  the  last  two  months,  and  have  refused 
more  than  that  number  of  calls.  The  times  of  1840  are  being  re- 
enacted  here.  I  have  this  morning  returned  from  a  trip  to  Akron, 
Summit  county,  and  to-morrow  I  leave  for  Columbus. 

When  your  last  letter  arrived,  we  were  in  the  middle  of  the  Fall 
term,  and  I  thought  William  would  not  want  to  come  till  the  Winter 
term  began  ;  and  so  I  did  not  hurry  so  much.  I  send  you  a  catalogue, 
which  gives  most  of  the  necessary  information.  Board  is  $2.00  per 
week.  If  he  should  wish  to  board  himself,  he  could  reduce  the  cost 
somewhat.  Dear  Corydon,  it  will  seem  like  reviving  the  light  of  other 
days  to  have  one  of  your  brothers  here  with  me.  I  am  sure  I  shall  love 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  295 

him  for  his  own  sake;  but  the  memory  of  you  will  make  him  doubly 
dear  to  me.      I  shall  be  very  glad  to  do  for  him  anything  I  can. 

I  do  n't  know  when  I  wrote  you  last,  and  so  I  don't  know  how  late 
you  have  heard  news  from  us.  We  had  a  daughter  born  on  the  3d  of 
July,  and  she  and  Crete  are  doing  finely.  We  call  the  girl  Eliza  Ara- 
bella— after  her  two  grandmothers. 

Corydon,  I  have  been  thinking  whether  it  would  not  be  a  good 
move  for  you  to  come  to  Ohio,  and  see  if  you  could  not  get  a  position 
in  some  Republican  county  as  editor  of  the  county  paper.  If  you 
would  like  to  do  so,  I  believe  I  could  assist  you — and  you  know  any- 
thing in  the  world  I  could  do  would  be  done  most  gladly.  Write  me 
and  tell  me  what  you  think. 

Give  my  love  to  Mary  and  all  the  family 

Your  brother, 

James. 

The  proposal  contained  in  the  above  letter  was  very 
thoughtfully  considered.  I  had  earned  sufficient  to  pay 
my  indebtedness,  but  had  only  a  small  amount  besides. 
I  had  commenced  a  house,  and  got  it  so  far  along  that 
it  was  habitable  for  the  summer  and  fall,  but  could  not 
be  made  comfortable  for  the  cold  winter  which  was  ap- 
proaching, as  neither  brick  nor  lime  was  to  be  had. 

The  election  was  on  the  6th  of  November,  and  on 
the  15th  we  were  rejoiced  to  know  that  Abraham  Lin- 
coln had  been  elected  President.  A  week  later  we 
learned  of  the  preliminary  steps  taken  by  South  Caro- 
lina and  Georgia  to  secede  from  the  Union. 

I  had  finally  come  to  a  decision  to  leave  the  pine 
forests  and  seek  a  home  and  employment  somewhere 
else :  but  where  it  should  be,  was  not  yet  decided.  In 
accordance  with  this  determination,  Mrs.  Fuller  had 
determined  to  spend  a  part  of  the  winter  in  her  old 
home  at  Butler,  N.  Y.,  and  I  was  to  finish  up  my  busi- 
ness at  Big  Rapids  and  then  look  for  a  suitable  loca- 
tion. The  snow  lay  deep  in  all  the  forests  before  the 
20th  of  November,  and  there  was  every  prospect  for  a 


2q6  REMINISCENCES    OF 

cold  and  dreary  winter;  and   on  the  2ist  Mrs.  Fuller 
started  on  her  journey. 

On  Nov.    29  the   mail  brought   me   the   following 

letter : 

Hiram,  Nov.  19  (my  birthday),  i860. 

My  Dear  Corydon  /—Your  kind  favors  are  received,  and  also  one 
from  William.  I  am  sorry  that  he  did  not  come.  It  would  have  been 
a  great  pleasure  to  have  given  him  any  aid  in  my  power.  But  I  shall 
hope  to  see  him  in  the  spring. 

In  my  last  letter  to  you  I  spoke  of  what  I  have  been  thinking  for 
a  long  time,  though  I  did  not  have  any  opening  in  my  mind  when  I 
wrote,  nor  have  I  now ;  but  I  think  one  may  be  found,  and  I  assure 
you  that  nothing  would  be  more  delightful  to  me  than  to  see  you  here 
in  Ohio  again.  I  have  written  to  a  friend  of  mine  in  Columbus,  who 
has  an  extensive  acquaintance  throughout  the  State,  and  I  think  he  can 
find  some  eligible  point  where  you  might  either  purchase  a  paper  or 
make  an  engagement  as  editor  of  one.  I  will  do  all  I  can  to  find  some 
opportunity. 

I  wish  you  would  tell  me  what  you  would  like,  and  how  much 
you  could  bring  to  bear  upon  some  enterprise  of  the  kind.  I  am,  you 
know,  still  poor,  and  have  a  good  prospect  of  keeping  so ,  but  I  would 
try  to  invest  something  with  you  if  I  could.  Excuse  my -hurry  and 
brevity,  for  it  is  now  near  midnight,  and  I  have  been  busy  every  mo- 
ment since  dark. 

Crete  and  Almeda  send  love  to  you  and  Mary,  and  you  know  that 

I  am  still,  as  ever,  Yours, 

James. 

It  may  be  proper  to  explain  that  my  brother  Wil- 
liam had  intended  to  attend  the  Eclectic  during  the 
winter  term,  but  had  finally  decided  to  teach  until 
spring,  which  he  did,  near  Paw  Paw,  Mich. 

December,  January  and  February,  i860  and  1861, 
were  historic  months.  The  South  was  busily  preparing 
for  the  great  conflict  which  was  to  shake  the  nation 
from  center  to  circumference.  James  Buchanan,  timid 
and  irresolute,  if  not  wholly  in  sympathy  with  the  in- 
surgents, sat  in  the  seat  of  power,  and  saw  several  of 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  297 

the  members  of  his  Cabinet  openly  aiding  the  rebels  in 
their  treasonable  designs.  By  a  sentence  smuggled  into 
an  appropriation  bill,  the  Secretary  of  War  had  been  au- 
thorized to  sell  the  arms  and  munitions  of  war  in  the 
national  arsenals,  which  he  deemed  unnecessary ;  and 
thus  whole  cases  of  improved  Springfield  rifles  and 
other  arms,  entirely  new,  were  sold  at  a  mere  nominal 
price  to  the  States  which  even  then  were  in  rebellion. 
Our  few  naval  vessels  were  ordered  to  distant  seas,  and 
heavy  ordinance  was  transferred  from  the  loyal  States 
to  arm  forts  and  batteries  in  the  South.  Treason  was 
active  and  unblushing  in  every  department  of  the 
National  Capital,  and  a  long  suffering  people  looked  on 
in  hot  indignation,  with  no  power  to  resist  the  gather- 
ing hosts  of  those  who  were  bent  upon  the  Nation's 
destruction. 

The  New  York  Tribune  kept  us  informed  of  the 
progress  of  events,  by  daring  correspondents  in  every 
part  of  the  South.  One  at  Charleston  described  the 
batteries  being  constructed  for  the  capture  of  Forts 
Moultrie  and  Sumter,  and  gave  us  the  details  of  the 
condition  of  the  beleagured  garrison,  under  brave  Col. 
Anderson,  and  his  call  upon  the  President  for  provi- 
sions. Then  came  the  trip  of  the  "  Star  of  the  West," 
which  sought  to  carry  food  to  the  famishing  soldiers, 
and  the  firing  upon  the  National  flag,  and  the  driving 
back  of  the  vessel  with  her  mission  unaccomplished. 
And  even  this  outrageous  insult  failed  to  provoke  in- 
dignation in  the  breasts  of  those  who  were  in  power, 
and  the  great  loyal  North  waited  and  wondered  what 
would  be  the  next  insult  to  be  endured. 

Early  in  January  the  Legislature  of  Ohio  again 
convened,  to  hold  the  most  important  session  ever  held 


298  REMINISCENCES    OF 

in  the  history  of  that  noble  State.  Of  course,  Mr. 
Garfield  was  in  his  seat,  and  greatly  interested  in  the 
portentous  events  of  the  hour. 

In  January  he  presented  himself  for  examination 
before  the  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  as  a  candidate 
for  admission  to  the  bar,  and  received  authority  to 
practice  in  all  the  courts  of  the  State. 

On  the  13th  of  February  I  left  Big  Rapids,  having 
closed  up  my  business,  and  being  fully  determined  to 
find  some  more  congenial  place  of  labor.  I  was  in  my 
31st  year,  and  had  thus  far  failed  to  demonstrate  that  I 
had  any  of  the  necessary  elements  of  success  in  life.  I 
had  failed  to  accumulate  any  property  of  any  conse- 
quence, and  had  no  very  flattering  prospects  of  doing- 
better  in  the  future  than  in  the  past,  if  I  remained 
there.  How  could  I  do  worse  by  leaving  ?  Thus  I 
reasoned,  and  had  come  to  the  determination  I  have 
stated. 

I  spent  a  few  days  at  Grand  Rapids  and  then  went 
to  Paw  Paw,  where  my  brother  William  was  teaching, 
as  well  as  Dr.  J.  B.  Crane  and  his  accomplished  wife, 
who  were  valued  friends  at  Hiram  several  years  before. 
After  spending  a  few  days,  I  went  to  Mishawaka,  where 
I  was  especially  auxious  to  see  my  friend,  Archibald 
Beal,  who  had  published  a  paper  in  that  village  for  sev- 
eral years,  and  who  had  been  quite  successful.  I  had 
some  idea  of  taking  some  interest  with  him  in  his  pa- 
per, but  upon  close  investigation,  decided  that  the  busi- 
ness would  not  justify  a  divided  ownership. 

Remaining  only  a  day  or  two,  I  proceeded  on  my 
journey  as  far  as  Mentor,  Ohio,  where  I  stopped  far  a 
visit  over  Sunday,  and  then  went  to  Painesville.  where 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  299 

my  friends  John  and  James  Encell  and  their  families 
resided,  the  two  preaching  alternately  for  the  church  at 
Painesville,  while  half  the  time  of  each  was  employed 
at  Perry  and  Russell.  After  a  short  visit  I  went  to 
Buffalo,  and  thence  to  Butler.  It  had  been  arranged 
before  I  left  Big  Rapids  that  I  should  visit  the  city  of 
New  York  to  make  some  arrangement,  if  possible,  for 
the  settlement  of  some  of  my  father's  business,  and  ac- 
cordingly I  reached  that  city  March  5,  1861,  the  day 
after  the  inauguration  of  President  Lincoln.  The  in- 
augural address  was  in  the  papers  for  sale  on  the 
cars,  and  I  read  it  with  much  satisfaction.  While 
breathing  the  spirit  of  kindness  and  conciliation,  it 
was  firm  and  manly,  and  declared  in  unmistakable 
terms  that  the  laws  would  be  executed  and  must  be 
obeyed. 

I  remained  only  two  days  in  the  city  and  then  re- 
turned to  Butler,  where  the  next  few  days  were  spent 
in  visiting,  and  studying  as  to  my  future  line  of  action. 
I  was  corresponding  with  friends  and  acquaintances  in 
different  parts  of  the  country  with  a  view  of  securing 
employment,  and  was  anxiously  awaiting  letters  which 
should  show  some  prospect  of  accomplishing  that  which 
I  sought.  A  letter  from  Elder  Thomas  Munnell  ex- 
pressed the  opinion  that  I  could  find  employment  in 
Kentucky  as  a  teacher  or  as  a  preacher.  But  I  had 
long  since  decided  that  the  latter  vocation  was  one  for 
which  I  was  not  fitted,  while  the  former  would  be  a  last 
resort.  In  fact,  it  was  an  unsolved  problem  whether  I 
was  really  good  for  anything,  and  at  times  I  was  almost 
discouraged  and  sick  at  heart.  It  seemed  that  all  my 
training  had  been  useless  ;  all  the  hard  lessons  of  the 
last  ten  years  had  gone  for  naught ;  all  my  ambitious 


3oo 


REMINISCENCES    OF 


hopes  and  determinations  had  resulted  in  miserable 
failure.  The  world  had  no  place  for  me,  where  I  could 
win  the  rewards  due  to  honest  work  and  feel  that  life 
was  worth  liviner. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

I    VISIT    COLUMBUS. MR.     GARFIELD     AND     MYSELF    VISIT 

MC  ARTHUR. THE    FIRING    ON    FORT    SUMTER 

On  the  morning  of  March  21,  1861,  I  received  the 
following  letter,  which  had  been  mailed  to  Big  Rapids, 
and  thence  forwarded  to  me : 

Columbus,  Feb.  26,  1861. 

Dear  Corydon : — I  should  have  written  you  long  ago,  but  I  wanted 
to  wait  until  I  could  have  something  more  decisive  to  say.  I  have  been 
making  inquiries  of  all  the  men  I  could  find,  in  regard  to  papers  and 
editors.     I  have  two  offers  which  I  desire  to  submit  to  you : 

1.  The  Hon.  Mr.  Plants,  a  member  of  the  Lower  House,  is  editor 
of  the  Telegraph,  a  Republican  paper  of  Meigs  county,  a  copy  of 
which  I  send  you.  His  is  a  large  county,  and  his  paper  has  a  circula- 
tion of  nine  hundred,  and  a  large  advertising  list.  He  desires  to  sell 
it,  because  he  is  a  lawyer,  and  has  not  time  to  attend  to  the  paper. 
There  is  a  large  job  business  in  connection  with  the  paper,  and  they 
have  both  a  newspaper  press  and  a  good  job  press,  and  a  full,  new 
assortment  of  type. 

He  will  sell  the  office,  presses,  type,  paper  and  all  for  $3,000;  one- 
third  down  and  the  rest  on  time.     So  much  for  this  offer. 

2.  The  Hon.  Mr.  Stanley,  member  of  the  Senate,  tells  me  they 
have  a  paper  in  Vinton  county,  entitled  the  Mc Arthur  Journal,  a  copy 
of  which  I  will  send  you  this  afternoon.  The  present  editor  is  a 
drunken  man,  and  the  Republicans  want  to  get  rid  of  him.  The 
county  is  small — about  13,000  inhabitants — and  the  circulation  of  the 
paper  is  at  present  only  five  hundred.  They  have  good  fixtures  for 
doing  all  the  necessary  printing  of  the  county,  and  the  office  does  the 
county  printing.  The  whole  establishment  can  be  had  very  cheap;  in- 
deed, at  less  than  cost,  for  they  desire  to  have  a  good  and  reliable  man 
in  it,  and  the  party  will  stand  by  him,  and  back  him  up.  It  could  be 
arranged  by  paying  but  little  down,  say  $200  or  $300.       Mr.  Stanley  is 


302  REMINISCENCES    OF 

a  very  warm  friend  of  mine.  I  have  told  him  of  you,  and  he  is 
anxious  to  have  you  come  and  see  them,  and  thinks  no  doubt  an  ar- 
rangement can  be  made. 

It  would  not  be  a  very  heavy  business  at  first,  but  your  industry 
and  talent  would,  I  am  sure  from  what  Stanley  tells  me,  make  it  pay. 
The  first  paper  is  the  more  desirable,  but  I  think  the  second  more 
feasible. 

Now,  Corydon,  I  feel  very  anxious  in  this  matter,  and  I  want  to 
suggest  what  seems  to  me  the  best  course.  I  think  you  had  better 
come  here  immediately,  and  Mr.  Stanley  and  I  will  go  with  you  to 
McArthur  and  look  into  the  matter  fully  (I  ought  to  have  said  there  is 
a  large  church  of  Disciples  there),  and  I  am  sure  we  can  make  some 
arrangement.  It  will  be  a  great  joy  for  me  to  meet  you  again.  If  you 
are  in  want  of  immediate  funds,  I  can  aid  you. 

Write  to  me  fully  on  the  whole  matter,  or  else  come  without 
writing. 

Give  my  love  to  Mary  and  your  folks,  and  let  me  see  or  hear  from 
you  soon. 

Yours  truly,  James. 

As  I  have  said,  this  letter  did  not  reach  me  until 
the  2 1st  of  March,  and  the  next  day  I  started  for 
Columbus,  reaching  Painesville  on  the  morning  of  the 
23d.  From  there  I  telegraphed  Mr.  Garfield  to  know 
whether  it  was  still  desirable  that  I  should  come  to 
Columbus,  and  received  in  answer  directions  to  come 
the  next  Thursday,  the  28th.  As  I  had  a  few  days 
leisure,  I  went  to  Chardon  and  spent  the  time  visiting 
among  my  friends,  whom  I  had  not  seen  for  a  consider- 
able time,  and  it  was  nineteen  years  before  I  again 
visited  that  place. 

I  arrived  at  Columbus  on  the  28th  and  went  imme- 
diately to  the  Capitol,  where  I  found  Mr.  Garfield.  It 
had  been  about  four  and  a  half  years  since  I  last  saw 
him — the  fall  of  1856,  the  next  day  after  he  graduated. 

Mr.  Garfield  and  Senator  J.  D.  Cox  boarded  with 
Mr.  Bascom,  the  Private  Secretary  of  Gov.  Dennison, 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  303 

occupying  the  same  room.  Their  table  was  covered 
with  books  on  military  science,  and  both  of  them  spent 
all  their  leisure  time  in  studying  the  art  of  war.  I  spent 
the  remainder  of  Thursday  and  all  of  Friday  with  Mr. 
Garfield,  at  the  Senate  chamber  during  the  session  and  at 
his  room  the  rest  of  the  time.  He  requested  his  room- 
mate, Senator  Cox,  to  take  another  room  at  night,  and 
thus  I  shared  his  room.  He  found  that  he  could  not 
leave  to  visit  McArthur  as  soon  as  he  had  expected, 
and  therefore  procured  a  pass  for  me  to  Cleveland,  so 
that  I  could  visit  Hiram  for  a  day  or  two,  and  on  Satur- 
day morning  I  started  for  that  place.  At  Cleveland  I 
called  at  the  law  office  of  my  old  friend  John  H.  Clapp, 
whose  wife  was  formerly  Phebe  M.  Boynton,  and  had 
the  pleasure  of  meeting  not  only  John,  but  his  brother 
James  and  their  sister  Mary,  and  with  them  went  to 
John's  residence  and  took  dinner.  With  a  promise  to 
return  on  Tuesday  and  spend  a  night  at  their  hospit- 
able home,  I  continued  my  journey,  reaching  Hiram 
that  evening,  and  found  my  brother  William,  and  with 
him  called  to  see  Mrs.  Garfield  and  Miss  Booth. 

Mrs.  Francis  D.  Gage  was  at  Miss  Booth's  rooms, 
and  as  she  was  to  lecture  that  evening  at  the  chapel  of 
the  Eclectic,  on  "The  West  Indies,  Santa  Cruz  and 
San  Domingo,"  we  all  attended. 

On  Sunday  I  met  a  great  many  of  my  acquaint- 
ances, and  had  a  pleasant  visit  with  Miss  Booth,  Mrs. 
Garfield  and  Mrs.  Gage.  Mrs.  Gage  was  in  her  53d 
year  and  I  thought  her  a  talented  and  very  interesting 
woman.  She  spoke  in  the  evening  on  "Education," 
and  was  strongly  in  favor  of  mixed  schools,  rather  than 
educating  the  sexes  separately.     Among  my  calls  was 


304  REMINISCENCES    OF 

one  at  Zeb  Rudolph's,  the  girlhood  home  of  Mrs. 
Garfield. 

Monday  was  a  dark,  dreary,  rainy  day.  I  attended- 
several  classes  during  the  morning ;  among  them  were 
Miss  Booth's  class  in  English  Grammar.  After  dinner 
I  left  Hiram — it  was  more  than  twenty-five  years  be- 
fore my  next  visit — and  returned  to  Cleveland,  and 
spent  the  night  at  John  H.  Clapp's.  The  next  morn- 
ing I  returned  to  Columbus.  It  was  the  last  time  I 
ever  saw  Mr.  Clapp.  He  was  a  noble  fellow,  and  I 
could  never  feel  reconciled  to  his  untimely  death,  which 
occurred  a  few  months  later.  He  had  raised  a  company 
for  the  war,  and  while  riding  through  the  streets  of 
Cleveland  was  thrown  from  his  horse  and  received  fatal 
injuries. 

I  arrived  at  Columbus  at  2  o'clock  p.  M.,  and  found 
Mr.  Garfield  in  the  Library.  That  evening,  in  company 
with  Senator  Cox — Mr.  Garfield  was  engaged  upon 
committee  work — I  attended  a  lecture  by  Mrs.  Lippin- 
cott,  better  known  as  Grace  Greenwood.  I  did  riot 
like  her  so  well  as  I  did  Mrs.  Gage. 

On  Wednesday  morning,  April  3,  1 861,  at  5  o'clock, 
Mr.  Garfield  and  I  started  for  McArthur.  We  traveled 
forty-five  miles  by  stage  coach,  from  Columbus  to 
Chillicothe,  and  thence  by  the  Marietta  and  Cincinnati 
Railroad  to  McArthur,  where  we  arrived  a  little  before 
night.  We  found  Senator  Stanley,  who  took  us  at 
once  to  his  home,  where  we  were  hospitably  received. 

The  next  morning  we  saw  the  proprietor  of  the 
paper,  and  soon  found  that  the  sanguine  hopes  of 
Mr.  Stanley  were  groundless,  and  as  the  owner  would 
not  sell  unless  at  a  price  so  exorbitant  that  no  one 
could  think  of   purchasing,       that    afternoon   the  two 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  305 

Senators  returned  to  Columbus  and  I  visited  the  county 
seat  of  the  next  county  to  see  if  there  was  any  better 
chance  there  for  buying  a  newspaper.  But  I  had  no 
success,  and  returned  to  McArthur  and  remained  over 
Sunday.  I  found  that  I  was  among  a  very  different 
population  from  any  with  which  I  had  ever  been  ac- 
quainted, and  while  they  seemed  kind  and  obliging,  I 
was  satisfied  that  the  light  of  the  nineteenth  century 
had  not  yet  any  perceptible  influence  in  dissipating  the 
thick  darkness  of  antiquity.  It  is  needless  to  say  that 
the  sympathies  of  many  of  the  people  were  with  the 
Southern  States  in  their  rebellion,  and  I  was  rather 
pleased  than  otherwise  that  I  was  not  to  live  among 
them. 

On  Monday  I  returned  to  Columbus  and  remained 
there  until  3  o'clock  Tuesday  afternoon.  Mr.  Garfield 
was  very  busily  employed,  though  he  gave  me  all  the 
time  and  attention  I  could  possibly  accept  and  far  more 
than  I  wished,  under  the  circumstances.  He  was  pre- 
paring his  report  on  weights  and  measures,  as  chair- 
man of  a  committee  to  whom  had  been  referred  a 
series  of  resolutions  of  the  Legislature  of  Maine,  ask- 
ing Congress  to  appoint  an  international  committee  to 
consult  with  commissioners  of  other  Governments  and 
agree  upon  a  uniform  system.  With  his  usual  wonder- 
ful research,  he  had  thoroughly  studied  his  subject,  and 
his  report  began  with  the  rude  efforts  of  ancient 
peoples  to  find  a  standard  of  measure,  and  he  came 
down  from  age  to  age,  quoting  from  Magna  Charta, 
650  years  before ;  the  legislation  of  the  early  colonies 
and  Congress ;  the  French  system  as  framed  under  the 
orders  of  the  great  Napoleon  ;  he  explained  the 
manner  in  which   the   unit  of  measure  was  found,  and 


306  REMINISCENCES    OF 

from  this  as.  a  basis,  how  weights  were  ascertained, 
and,  indirectly,  crushed  the  crude  and  childish  non- 
sense of  ignorant  charlatans  who  would  measure  dis- 
tance with  that  which  has  no  extension  ;  weight  with 
that  which  is  imponderable,  and  value  with  that  which 
has  no  value.  The  report  was  one  of  the  most  com- 
plete and  valuable  which  has  ever  been  made  on  the 
subject. 

Having  become  satisfied  that  my  prospect  of  obtain- 
ing a  newspaper  in  Ohio,  with  my  present  means,  was  im- 
practicable, if  not  impossible,  I  left  Columbus,  April 
9,  and  proceeded  to  Mishawaka,  where  I  arrived  the 
next  morning.  My  friend,  Mr.  Beal,  had  gone  to 
Wyandotte,  Ohio,  with  a  view  to  the  purchase  of  a 
paper,  and  in  case  he  should  make  the  arrangement  I 
hoped  to  buy  the  Mishawaka  Enterprise,  and  so<  I 
awaited  his  return. 

During  the  previous  three  months  great  events  had 
been  transpiring  in  our  country.  Between  the  election 
of  Mr.  Lincoln  and  his  inauguration,  seven  States  had 
seceded  from  the  Union ;  a  new  Confederacy  had  been 
formed,  and  on  the  9th  of  February  Jefferson  Davis, 
who  had  resigned  his  seat  in  the  Senate  of  the  United 
States  a  few  days  before,  was  inaugurated  its  first  Presi- 
dent. The  days  drifted  slowly  by,  while  the  great 
North  stood  silently  watching  the  progress  of  events. 
The  old  flag  which  had  been  for  more  than  four  score 
of  years  the  glory  and  pride  of  the  Nation,  and  which 
no  people  was  so  barbarous  as  not  to  respect,  was  daily 
torn  from  its  rightful  place  over  the  forts  and  custom 
houses  which  the  Nation  had  built,  and  trampled  under 
the  feet  of  a  mad  and  rebellious  populace,  and  the  men 
to  whom  the  honor  of  the  Republic  had  been  intrusted 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  3  OJ 

took  no  steps  to  avenge  the  insult.  Traitors  were  in 
the  halls  of  Congress ;  traitors  were  in  the  Cabinet,  and 
imbecility  if  not  treason  sat  in  the  chair  of  the  Chief 
Magistrate.  The  long  and  abject  subserviency  of  the 
politicians  to  the  haughty  lords  of  the  lash  had  crushed 
out  the  little  native  manliness  which  nature  had  given 
even  to  the  doughface  and  the  demagogue,  and  like 
cringing  spaniels  at  the  feet  of  their  masters,  they  only 
sought  to  know  if  there  was  not  some  deeper  pit  of 
humiliation  into  which  they  could  plunge  to  placate 
the  haughty  arrogant  slave  drivers  who  were  threaten- 
ing the  Nation's  life. 

With  the  4th  of  March,  the  authority  of  the  Gov- 
ernment had  passed  into  loyal  hands.  The  open 
traitors  had  sought  their  true  place,  while  a  pestilent 
brood  of  spies  and  assassins  still  lingered  about  the 
capital  But  the  rebellion  had  been  the  slow  growth  of 
more  than  thirty  years.  In  fact,  it  was  a  great  truth, 
written  by  the  finger  of  God  in  imperishable  charac- 
ters, that  "no  nation  could  permanently  exist  half 
slave  and  half  free. "  There  was  and  always  must  be 
an  "  irrepressible  conflict  "  which  could  be  ended  by  no 
cowardly  compromise.  Mr.  Lincoln  was  right  when 
he  announced  and  emphasized  these  immutable  truths. 
His  inaugural  address  was  remarkable  for  its  eloquent 
expressions  of  a  desire  for  peace,  but  firm  in  the 
announcement  that  the  laws  of  the  nation  must  be 
obeyed. 

March  and  the  first  eleven  days  of  April  passed,  and 
every  moment  was  busily  employed  by  the  rebels  in 
preparing  for  war.  Col.  Anderson  and  his  little  garri- 
son, suffering  from  want  of  provisions,  bravely  held 
Fort  Sumter,  while  they  saw  each  day  the  batteries  ap- 


308  REMINISCENCES    OF 

proaching  completion,  which  were  to  belch  forth  iron 
hail  for  their  destruction.  The  great  dailies  of  the 
North  gave  details  of  the  progress  of  the  rebellion  ;  of 
the  gathering  of  armed  regiments  under  an  alien  flag, 
commanded  by  men  educated  at  the  expense  of  the 
national  treasury,  but  so  careless  of  a  soldier's  honor  as 
to  break  rudely  and  treacherously  their  oaths  of  alle- 
giance to  their  country  in  this,  her  hour  of  need. 

On  Friday,  the  12th  of  April,  1861,  T  was  at  Mish- 
awaka,  assisting  in  mailing  the  Enterprise,  when  the 
news  came  that  the  rebels  had  that  morning,  at  4 
o'clock,  opened  fire  upon  Fort  Sumter.  We  received 
but  little  news — no  details — until  Saturday  morning, 
when  the  Chicago  dailies  arrived  and  told  us  of  the 
progress  of  the  fight.  The  rebel  forces  were  reported 
at  ten  thousand  while  Col.  Anderson  had  but  seventy 
men.     For  Saturday,  the   13th,  I  wrote  in  my  journal: 

The  news  must  thrill  the  heart  of  the  mighty  North,  and  arouse  a. 
spirit  of  desperate  resistance  to  the  hordes  of  the  secessionists.  If  war 
must  be,  may  it  be  quick  and  terrible,  and  may  traitors  learn  that  the 
arm  of  the  government  is  not  yet  powerless  in  the  vindication  of 
National  honor  and  of  the  glory  of  the  old  flag. 

Our  little  village  was  out  of  the  noise  of  the  great 
world,  and  on  Sunday,  the  14th,  the  people  gathered 
at  their  places  of  worship,  still  uninformed  of  the  fate 
of  the  gallant  defenders  of  Sumter.  But  on  Monday 
morning  came  the  news  of  the  call  for  seventy-five 
thousand  volunteers  to  serve  three  months,  and  what  a 
shout  went  up  from  the  loyal  hosts  of  the  great  North  ! 
No  words  can  ever  adequately  describe  the  effect  of 
that  proclamation.  It  was  received  with  one  universal 
shout  of  joy  and  rejoicing.  The  tension  upon  the 
patriotic   public   had   been  so    intense  that  they  hailed 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  30Q 

the  hour  and  the  opportunity  of  striking  a  blow  for  the 
defense  of  the  menaced  Government.  Young  men, 
who  had  never  known  what  hardship  meant,  crowded 
forward  to  enlist,  as  though  war  was  some  glorious 
carnival. 

It  is  hardly  possible  to  estimate  the  power  which 
may  be  concentrated  in  a  word,  or  a  phrase.  In 
March,  1858,  in  the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  the 
haughty  J.  H.  Hammond  christened  the  laboring  men 
of  the  Free  States  as  "  Mudsills,"  and  the  sneering  and 
insulting  epithet  burned  the  quick  sensibilities  of  the 
mechanics,  the  artisans,  the  farmers  and  the  laborers 
of  the  nation,  as  molten  lava  might  burn  their  physical 
frames,  and  they  never  forgot  or  forgave  the  atrocious 
and  cowardly  insult,  until  they  lit  their  pathway 
through  South  Carolina  by  the  light  of  blazing  homes 
and  burning  palaces. 

So,  during  the  Mexican  War,  at  the  battle  of  Buena 
Vista,  an  Indiana  regiment,  through  the  incompetency 
■of  its  officers,  was  left  unsupported,  and  when  half  an- 
nihilated by  the  deadly  fire  of  the  enemy,  which  it  was 
unable  to  return,  was  at  last  routed,  and  the  remnant 
retreated  in  disorder  from  the  fieid.  Ever  after,  it  was 
the  custom  of  the  South  to  sneer  at  the  men  of  Indi- 
ana as  cowards,  and  no  possible  opportunity  of  repeat- 
ing the  libelous  insult  was  ever  neglected  by  the 
chivalry  of  the  Slave  States.  Now,  when  the  time  had 
come  to  wipe  out  the  insult,  the  war  cry  was,  "Re- 
member Buena  Vista,"  and  a  hundred  Southern  battle 
fields  attest  the  gallantry  of  the  Indiana  soldiery. 

On  Monday,  at  3  o'clock  p.  m.,  we  put  up  the  bills 
for  a  war  meeting  that  evening.  The  fife  and  drum 
rallied   the    people    until   the  largest  hall  was   densely 


3IO  REMINISCENCES    OF 

filled,  and  speeches  were  made  in  behalf  of  the  Union. 
Thirty-two  volunteers  were  obtained  in  a  few  hours  at 
Mishawaka,  two  out  of  Mr.  Beal's  office,  and  by- 
Thursday  a  full  company  was  ready  and  started  for  In- 
dianapolis. Before  Saturday  night  the  President  had 
been  tendered  two  hundred  thousand  troops  and  vast 
sums  of  money. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  the  enthusiastic  response  of 
the  people  to  the  call  for  troops  was  a  surprise  and  a 
revelation  to  the  rebel  chieftains.  They  had  been  so 
accustomed  to  boast  of  their  ability  to  fight  ten  times 
their  number  of  "  Northern  mudsills  "  that  they  really 
believed  in  their  own  invincibility. 

There  were,  even  at  Mishawaka,  a  few  of  that  class 
of  persons  subsequently  known  as  copperheads.  The 
postmaster,  who  held  his  commission  from  James  Buch- 
anan, true  to  his  instincts,  had  not  sufficient  sense  or 
discretion  to  refrain  from  expressing  his  treasonable 
sentiments,  and  at  a  war  meeting  held  on  Saturday 
night,  the  20th,  a  commitee  was  appointed,  to  warn  him 
and  those  like  him  to  be  cautious,  as  to  their  expres- 
sions, under  the  present  state  of  public  feeling. 

The  chairman  of  the  committee,  accompanied  by 
many  others,  called  on  the  postmaster,  and  announced 
his  errand  about  as  follows  : 

"  Mr.  Hurd,  we  have  come  to  give  you  fair  warning  of  your  dan- 
ger. You  have  vilified  the  government  #and  talked  treason  long 
enough.  We  put  up  with  it  in  time  of  peace,  but  this  is  time  of  war. 
Our  boys  are  going  down  South  to  fight,  and  many  of  them  to  die,  for 
their  country.  The  bones  of  my  old  grandfather  lie  in  the  ditch  at 
Bunker  Hill,  and  I  swear  by  the  living  God  I  will  help  hang  you  if  I 
*  know  of  another  treacherous  word  from  your  cowardly  lips." 

The  wretch  trembled  like  a  leaf  and  was  as  pale  as 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  311 

a  ghost,  but  he  did  not  seek  to  know  whether  the  com- 
mittee were  in  earnest. 

At  South  Bend,  Mr.  Colfax  was  a  master  spirit  in  the 
warlike  preparations.  Always  liberal,  and  almost  idol- 
ized by  his  fellow-citizens,  he  worked  day  and  night  to 
have  the  county  and  the  old  Ninth  District,  which  he 
had  so  ably  represented  in  Congress,  honorably  do  its 
whole  duty. 

Almost  the  whole  male  population  began  to  drill, 
and  the  usual  school-boy  sports  all  gave  place  to 
learning  the  art  of  war.  It  had  been  as  when  men 
stand  and  look  upon  a  burning  building,  where  property 
and  life  are  at  stake,  and  are  utterl}  powerless  to  do 
anything.  Now  that  the  call  had  come  to  arms,  they 
could  aid  in  the  work  of  quenching  the  fires  which 
threatened  to  destroy  the  Republic,  and  every  drop  of 
pratriotic  blood  inherited  from  brave  and  noble  ances- 
tors went  dancing  through  their  veins  and  arteries,  and 
each  quiet  rural  neighborhood  showed  that  its  inhabit- 
ants needed  only  an  opportunity  to  write  their  names 
as  heroes  on  the  imperishable  pages  of  history. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

BUYING    A    NEWSPAPER  THE    WAR. "THE    BRAVE   AT 

HOME." 

The  following  letter,  written  during  my  stay  at  Mc- 
Arthur,  the  day  after  Mr.  Garfield  and  Mr.  Stanley  re- 
turned to  Columbus,  did  not  reach  me  for  nearly  a 
month  : 

Columbus,  O.,  April  5,  1861. 

My  Dear  Corydon: — I  arrived  here  at  half-past  two  in  the  morning, 
and  was  very  weary  indeed,  and  have  been  very  busy  ever  since.  I  find 
Stanley  is  exceedingly  anxious  to  have  you  there,  and  will  do  all  in  his 
power  to  arrange  it.  I  am  anxious  to  hear  from  you,  and  know  all 
about  it. 

Bro.  Brown  is  here  again  from  Akron,  and  says  he  has  been  talk- 
ing about  the  Akron  paper,  and  the  chances  of  getting  you  a  place 
there.  He  thinks  quite  probably  an  arrangement  could  be  made  there 
by  and  by.  1  can  not  tell  you  how  anxious  I  am  to  have  you  succeed 
in  getting  a  foothold  in  Ohio.  It  was  part  of  the  dream  of  our  early 
life  that  we  might  some  day  work  together. 

No  letter  has  come. 

Yours,  truly,  J.  A.  GARFIELD. 

I  have  narrated  in  the  last  chapter  my  failure  to  ac- 
complish anything  in  Ohio,  and  my  return  to  Indiana, 
where  I  found  that  I  could  not  make  any  arrangements 
with  Mr.  Beal  which  would  be  of  mutual  advantage. 
I  had  become  entirely  discouraged,  and  on  the  23d  of 
April  had  decided  to  return  to  Big  Rapids,  and  to  start 
the  next  day. 

I  have  never  been  a  believer  in  special  providence, 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  313 

yet  I  can  not  account  for  the  fact  that  the  next  morn- 
ing, not  two  hours  before  I  expected  to  leave  for  my 
former  home,  a  gentleman  whom  I  had  never  heard  of 
called  to  see  me,  to  propose  that  I  should  buy  a  print- 
ing office  at  Rochester,  Fulton  county,  Indiana. 

The  late  Publisher,  John  H.  Stailey,  had  received 
an  appointment  to  a  clerkship  in  the  Dead  Letter  Office 
at  Washington,  and  was  anxious  to  leave  for  that  city, 
and  the  Republicans  were  unwilling  to  have  the  paper 
discontinued.  For  three  seasons,  Lewis  J.  Brown, 
Esq. ,  for  many  years  of  Des  Moines  and  later  of  Da- 
venport, Iowa,  had  visited  South  Bend  in  search  of  a 
suitable  party  to  continue  its  publication.  He  met 
Hon.  George  C.  Merrifield,  of  Mishawaka,  who  sug- 
gested my  name,  though  he  was  wholly  unaware  that  I 
was  in  search  of  a  paper.  I  do  not  think  Mr.  Brown 
and  I  had  talked  ten  minutes  until  I  agreed  to  visit 
Rochester  and  see  if  any  arrangement  could  be  made. 
This  was  on  Tuesday,  and  on  the  following  Saturday, 
April  27,  I  proceeded  to  Rochester,  which  is  about  fifty 
miles  due  south  of  South  Bend. 

That  evening,  on  my  arrival,  Mr.  Brown  met  me  at 
the  hotel  and  took  me  to  his  home.  I  can  not  neglect 
this  opportunity  of  expressing  my  appreciation  of  the 
many  acts  of  kindness  and  friendship  shown  me  by  Mr. 
Brown  and  his  excellent  wife.  More  than  a  quarter  of 
a  century  has  passed  away  since  that  time,  but  I  have 
never  forgotten,  and  should  despise  myself  if  I  was  ca- 
pable of  forgetting,  the  favors  they  bestowed  upon  me 
and  my  family,  and  the  sympathy  and  brotherly  kind- 
ness they  always  manifested  toward  us.  May  the 
blessings  of  heaven  follow  them  and  theirs,  and  no 
shadows  darken  their  advancing  years. 


314  REMINISCENCES    OF 

As  I  look  back  to  that  time,  I  wonder  that  I  should 
have  dared  to  undertake  such  an  enterprise.  I  was 
little  past  30,  and  in  tolerable  health,  but  my  total  cash 
capital  was  seventeen  dollars.  I  had  perhaps  two  or 
three  hundred  dollars  invested  in  my  late  home  at  Big- 
Rapids.  I  knew  nothing  of  the  art  of  printing,  and 
had  never  had  the  slightest  experience  in  the  newspa- 
per business. 

The  owner  of  the  printing  office  had  died  a  year  or 
two  before,  and  the  material  had  been  rented  by  Mr. 
Stailey.  It  consisted  of  an  old  Foster  press,  broken, 
but  mended  by  a  country  blacksmith,  a  font  of  long 
primer,  a  font  of  worn  brevier,  and  sufficient  display 
type  for  a  country  newspaper.  It  had  been  used  by  a 
lot  of  boys,  and  was  dirty  and  in  wretched  condition. 
The  late  editor  was  a  good-natured,  lazy  politician, 
who  loved  a  glass  of  beer  and  a  pipe,  and  had  run  the 
paper  during  the  political  canvass  of  i860  with  the  sole 
end  and  aim  in  view  of  obtaining  a  clerkship  in  Wash- 
ington, after  the  election.  The  office  was  the  rendez- 
vous of  half  the  loafers  of  the  village.  I  suppose  the 
other  half  congregated  at  the  rival  office. 

Such  was  the  appearance  of  the  ' '  Rochester  Mer- 
cury" as  I  found  it,  on  Monday,  April  29,  1861,  and 
within  an  hour  I  had  bought  it,  giving  for  it  four  notes. 
I  managed  to  give  security  on  my  Michigan  property, 
and  the  others  Mr.  Brown  indorsed,  and  I  entered  into 
immediate  possession.  The  room  occupied  for  an  office 
did  not  suit  me.'  It  was  on  the  ground  floor,  with  only 
one  room,  and  in  all  respects  unsuitable  for  the  required 
purpose. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  this  was  only  two  weeks 
after    the    proclamation    of    the    President    calling   for 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  31$ 

75,000  volunteers.  Fulton  county  was  heavily  •'  Demo- 
cratic;" but  the  wave  of  excitement  which  was  rolling' 
over  the  land  reached  its  drowsy  borders,  and  war 
meetings  were  being  held,  and  a  company  being  raised. 
The  village  contained  a  Republican  majority,  while  the 
country  townships,  buried  in  Egyptian  darkness  and 
ignorance,  voted  solid  for  Andrew  Jackson's  ghost. 
Among  the  Republicans  were  many  of  the  most  excel- 
lent and  patriotic  men  I  had  ever  known.  Not  a  few 
of  them  sleep  in  soldiers'  graves,  a  part  of  the  fearful 
price  the  nation  was  compelled  to  pay  to  atone  for  the 
damning  crime  of  slavery.  I  would  not  forget  that 
many  of  those  whose  former  affiliations  had  been  with 
the  so-called  Democracy  answered  their  country's  call 
and  fought  bravely  in  her  defense ;  but  when  they 
came  back  they  did  not  vote  with  their  old  associates. 

I  think  I  never  worked  so  hard  for  any  period  of  my 
life  as  I  did  the  first  few  weeks  after  I  began  my  work 
at  Rochester.  I  took  each  case  of  display  type  and 
emptied  it  upon  a  table  and  assorted  the  type,  and 
after  cleaning  the  case  thoroughly,  put  the  type  back 
in  its  proper  place,  and  thus  I  learned  the  case.  I  ob- 
tained a  new  office,  in  a  better  place,  and  when  loafers 
came  they  found  me  too  busy  to  gossip  with  them. 
Sundays  the  office  was  closed,  which  was  another  new 
departure. 

I  had  some  very  blue  days,  for  my  cash  was  soon 
exhausted,  and  for  a  time  it  seemed  impossible  that  I 
could  keep  my  craft  afloat.  Business  seemed  to  be 
perfectly  dead.  The  paper  was  furnished  at  one  dollar 
a  year,  and  advertising  was  hard  to  get  and  always  pay- 
able in  trade,  while  paper  cost  cash,  and  my  one  prin- 
ter had  to  be  paid.      Mr.  Garfield  had  kindly  offered  to 


316  REMINISCENCES    OF 

lend  me  a  little  money  until  I  could  sell  my  house  and 
lot,  if  I  needed  it,  but  even  this  resource  failed  in  my 
hour  of  sorest  need,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  following 

letter : 

Columbus,  May  10,  1861. 

My  Dear  Cory  don : — Your  favor  was  duly  received,  but  I  have 
been  away,  and  so  overwhelmed  with  military  matters  that  I  have  not 
been  able  till  now  to  answer.  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  you  have  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  a  paper.  It  was  very  mortifying  to  me  to  have 
a  failure  here  in  Ohio.  Now  that  the  piping  times  of  war  are  upon  us, 
I  hope  and  believe  you  will  be  able  to  make  a  good  thing  out  of  it. 

I  have  resolved  that  I  can  not  remain  quiet  while  the  war  is 
around  us.     I  am  going  into  it  in  some  capacity. 

I  am  sorry  that  I  can  not  now  accommodate  you  in  the  matter  of 
money  at  this  time.  I  have  not  drawn  my  pay  for  several  weeks,  and 
on  the  receipt  of  your  letter  I  went  to  the  Treasury,  and  found  there 
was  not  a  dollar  there  for  members  of  the  Legislature,  and  will  not  be 
for  several  weeks.  I  have  not  now  money  enough  to  pay  my  board  and 
washing.  I  am  very  sorry  indeed.  I  want  you  to  write  to  me  at  once, 
and  tell  me  if  you  have  been  able  to  secure  the  amount  named.  If  not, 
I  will  hope  to  be  able  to  get  hold  of  some  as  soon  as  possible. 

In  the  war  now  upon  us,  we  can  not  tell  the  outcome  either  to  in- 
dividuals or  to  the  nation.  If  I  live  through  it,  we  shall  some  time 
meet  again. 

Love  to  Mary  when  she  sees  you,  and  believe  me,  ever  and  faith- 
fully, Your  brother, 

James. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  I  was  an  entire  stranger 
to  the  people  of  Rochester,  not  one  of  whom  had  ever 
seen  or  heard  of  me  until  I  met  Mr.  Brown  at  Misha- 
waka.  He  had  kindly  consented  to  board  me  and  my 
printer  until  I  could  send  for  my  wife  and  commence 
housekeeping,  and  I  could  not  ask  him  to  do  more. 

I  think  I  shall  always  know  how  to  sympathize  with 
those  who  are  struggling  with  poverty,  and  I  shall 
never  forget  how  a  loan  of  five  dollars  obtained  of  a 
mechanic   named   J.    J.    Smith,  perhaps  saved  me  from 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  317 

utter  and  ignominious  failure.  With  it  I  bought  a 
bundle  of  paper  which  was  sufficient  for  two  weeks'  is- 
sue, and  after  that  time  I  never  had  any  serious  diffi- 
culty in  obtaining  what  money  was  indispensably 
necessary.  As  I  did  not  receive  Mr.  Garfield's  letter 
until  May  23,  and  before  that  time  had  triumphed  over 
my  most  serious  difficulty,  I  was  not  disheartened  by 
its  contents. 

Poor  as  were  our  facilities  for  doing  decent  job  work, 
we  were  ahead  of  our  competitors,  and  I  got  the  con- 
tract for  printing  600  pamphlets  for  the  Agricultural 
Society,  and  for  these  and  some  advertising  included  in 
them  I  received  $50,  and  by  May  26  was  courageous  as 
need  be.      I  wrote  in  my  journal  under  that  date : 

I  feel  first  rate  in  health,  and  weigh  more  than  usual,  and  am 
bound  to  make  this  newspaper  live  and  pay  expenses,  if  hard  work  can 
make  it  do  so.  I  can  work,  and  am  bound  to  do  so,  as  I  have  never 
worked  before,  rather  than  to  fail  in  my  plans. 

I  may  add  that  my  heavy  weight  was  about  130 
pounds.  It  was  but  a  few  weeks  till  I  could  set  from 
one  to  two  columns  of  type  in  a  day,  and  many  of  my 
articles  were  not  written  at  all,  as  I  composed  and.  set 
them  at  the  same  time. 

I  have  before  me  now  a  bound  volume  containing 
my  paper  for  about  three  and  a  half  years.  The  first 
number  bears  date  May  2,  1861.  Its  typographical 
appearance  is  not  prepossessing,  but  the  sentiments  ex- 
pressed in  my  first  editorial  I  have  no  desire  to  revise. 
I  extract  from  it  the  following : 

The  paper  will  continue  to  be  an  unwavering  advocate  of  the  pol- 
icy of  the  Republican  party,  so  long  as  that  party  remains  true  to  the 
principles  of  the  Founders  of  the  Republic;  but  free  at  any  time  to 
defend  the  right  and  condemn  the  wrong,  wherever  they  may  be  found. 


3  l8  REMINISCENCES    OF 

In  the  present  crisis  we  recognize  the  duty  of  all  good  citizens  to 
be,  to  stand  by  the  Government,  and  assist  in  patting  down  the  un- 
righteous rebellion  of  secession  traitors.  While  we  would  favor  any 
measures  not  inconsistent  with  National  honor  tending  to  conciliate 
Union  men  in  the  South,  we  would  make  no  terms  with  armed  rebels. 

We  love  the  Union ;  and  in  matters  of  policy  would  sacrifice 
much  for  the  sake  of  peace ;  but  when  we  are  called  upon  to  purchase 
it  at  the  price  of  principle,  honor  and  self-respect,  even  peace  is  pur- 
chased at  too  high  a  price. 

The  Legislature  of  Indiana  had  been  convened  in 
extra  session,  a  week  before,  and  the  paper  had  Gov. 
O.  P.  Morton's  message  and  the  proceedings  of  a 
great  war  meeting  in  the  city  of  New  York,  where 
speeches  were  made  by  Daniel  S.  Dickinson,  John  A. 
Dix,  Robert  J.  Walker  and  others. 

I  extract  a  few  lines  from  an  article  in  the  Rich- 
mond Examiner,  which  I  copied  a  week  later: 

If  we  except  Benedict  Arnold,  there  never  was  a  Northern  man 
who  was  fitted  to  command,  if  you  give  him  a  chance  to  run.  Like 
cowardly  boys  pent  up  on  shipboard  without  chance  of  escape,  they 
gather  courage  from  despair,  and  fight  desperately,  But  with  ninety- 
nine  Northern  men  in  a  hundred,  on  all  occasions,  duty,  honor, 
patriotism,  has  ever  been  considered,  and  will  ever  be  considered,  a 
a  mere  matter  of  profit  and  loss. 

In  a  subsequent  number  appeared  the  following 
lines,  written  by  the  editor: 

Have  ye  heard  the  din  of  battle 

In  the  far-off  Southern  land  ? 
Have  ye  heard  the  cannon's  rattle 

Echoing  o'er  the  ocean  strand  ? 

Hark!  the  Northern  hosts  are  waking, 

And  the  war-cry  rolls  along ; 
And  a  million  voices  joining, 

Swell  the  nation's  rallying  song. 

From  the  rocks  of  bleak  New  England, 
From  Ontario's  pebbly  shore, 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  3I9 

From  the  mighty  Empire  City, 
Never  came  such  shouts  before. 

And  the  freemen  from  Ohio 

Sang  the  song  with  wildest  glee  ; 
While  Illinois  and  Indiana 

Joined  the  anthem  of  the  free! 

Louder  than  Niagara's  thunder, 

Louder  than  the  ocean's  roar, 
Rolled  the  spirit-stirring  pean 

To  the  Mississippi  shore. 

By  our  glorious  star-gemmed  banner, 

Waving  o'er  the  brave  and  free, 
By  the  rights  our  fathers  purchased 

With  their  blood  on  land  and  sea ; 

By  the  blue  heaven  bending  o'er  us, 

By  the  earth  on  which  we  tread, 
By  our  homes  and  by  our  hearthstones, 

By  the  memory  of  our  dead — 

Hear  us  swear  Columbia's  banner 

Soon  again  in  pride  shall  wave 
O'er  the  battered  walls  of  Sumter, 

Or  we  '11  fill  the  soldier's  grave  ! 

Soon  may  haughty,  perjured  rebels, 
Gloating  o'er  their  deeds  of  shame, 

Feel  the  might  of  Freedom's  armies, 
Fighting  for  their  country's  fame! 

The  same  paper  in  which  the  above  lines  were  pub- 
lished announced  the  death  of  Stephen  A.  Douglas, 
which  occurred  at  Chicago,  June  3,  and  also  contained 
a  letter  from  Gen.  Beauregard  on  leaving  Charleston, 
expressing  the  opinion  that  no  sane  person  could  for  a 
moment  entertain  a  doubt  as  to  the  result  of  the  war. 

It  was  but  a  short  time  after  the  beginning  of  the 
war  until  most  of  the  papers  in  Indiana  which  had  op- 
posed  the  election   of  Mr.  Lincoln  began  to    oppose 


320  REMINISCENCES    OF 

every  action  proposed  or  inaugurated  by  the  Govern- 
ment for  the  maintenance  of  its  existence  and  the  res- 
toration of  the  Union.  I  think  I  do  not  allow  the  hot 
prejudices  of  those  days  to  influence  me  when  I  affirm 
that,  so  far  as  the  rival  paper  in  Rochester  was  con. 
cerned,  it  never  contained  a  single  sentence  concerning 
the  war,  during  the  four  years  of  its  duration,  which 
could  have  been  fairly  construed  as  reflecting  in  the 
slightest  degree  upon  the  rebels  or  any  of  the  acts  of 
those  who  were  fighting  for  the  overthrow  of  the 
Union. 

As  a  consequence  of  this,  the  feeling  between  the 
Union  men  and  the  anti-war  party  was  often  so  intense 
that  it  is  a  wonder  it  did  not  result  in  bloodshed.  As 
the  terrible  months  passed  slowly  by,  each  day 
freighted  with  the  awful  details  of  the  unutterable  woe 
which  follows  in  the  track  of  armies,  and  as  those  who 
had  gone  out  from  among  us  at  their  country's  call, 
with  hearts  fired  by  the  patriotic  determination  to  do 
their  whole  duty,  came  back  wan  and  wasted  by  dis- 
ease, or  with  frames  shattered  by  the  cruel  bullet  or 
shell,  or  in  their  coffins,  it  required  wonderful  self-con- 
trol to  hear  men  who  had  enjoyed  all  the  blessings  of 
our  glorious  Government  openly  expressing  their  sym- 
pathy for  its  enemies. 

I  have  no  reason  to  doubt  that  hundreds  of  men  in 
Indiana  really  believed  that  "the  South  was  fighting 
for  her  just  rights  ;"  as  the  editor  of  the  anti-war  paper 
at  Rochester  declared,  and  of  course  their  sympathies 
must  been  with  those  whom  they  thought  in  the  light. 
Yet  this  did  not  make  it  any  easier  for  those  to  bear 
whose  friends  were  in  the  army.  The  prejudice  against 
colored  men  was  so  great  that  the  statutes  of  Indiana 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  32  I 

made  it  a  crime  for  any  negro  to  come  into  the  State, 
for  which  he  was  liable  to  fine  and  imprisonment,  and 
a  similar  penalty  was  incurred  by  any  white  man  who 
brought  one  into  the  State. 

In  glancing  over  my  early  editorial  writing,  I  am 
glad  to  find  I  did  not  join  in  the  censures  of  Mr.  Lin- 
coln which  frequently  appeared  even  in  Union  papers. 
When  General  Fremont  was  removed  from  the  com- 
mand of  the  Western  army  there  was  a  great  deal  of 
dissatisfaction  and  much  severe  censure.  Even  as  good 
and  true  a  paper  as  the  Indianapolis  Journal  contained 
some  very  bitter  articles.     The  Mercury  said : 

"  Many  of  our  exchanges  are  censuring  the  Government  in  the 
strongest  terms  for  the  removal  of  Gen.  Fremont  from  the  command  of 
the  Western  Department.  Now,  while  we  have  not  the  slightest  doubt 
of  the  ability  of  any  of  our  editorial  brethren  to  command  an  army 
with  such  masterly  ability  that  they  would  never  lose  a  battle,  or  to  ad- 
minister the  Government  with  such  consummate  skill  as  to  give  uni- 
versal satisfaction,  never  making  a  blunder  or  failing  to  do  the  right 
thing  at  the  right  time,  yet,  unfortunately,  all  the  world  have  not  as 
much  confidence  in  their  ability  as  we  have ;  and  for  that  reason  Gen. 
McClellan  is  in  command  of  the  army,  and  Abraham  Lincoln  is  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  and  however  desirable  it  may  be  that  his 
place  should  be  filled  by  some  of  these  critics,  it  is  doubtful  whether 
it  can  be  effected  before  another  Presidential  election. 

"The  Government  has  seen  fit  to  remove  Gen.  Fremont,  a  man 
whom  the  West  has  delighted  to  honor.  All  the  reasons  for  his  re- 
moval we  do  not  know,  but  our  confidence  is  still  unshaken  in  the 
honesty  and  integrity  of  our  noble  President.  We  believe  he  has 
done  what  he  thought  was  for  the  public  good,  and  knowing  that  his 
opportunities  for  forming  a  correct  judgment  have  been  vastly  better 
than  ours,  we  are  willing  to  suspend  our  verdict  as  to  the  policy,  jus- 
tice, or  necessity  of  the  act  until  we  have  all  the  facts." 

In  my  paper  for  Nov.  21,  1S61,  I  published  that 
immortal  poem,  by  T.  Buchanan  Read,  written  at 
Rome,  the  preceding  July: 


322  REMINISCENCES    OF 

THE  BRAVE  AT  HOME. 

The  maid  who  binds  her  warrior's  sash, 

With  smiles  that  well  her  pain  dissembles, 
The  while,  beneath  her  drooping  lash, 

One  starry  tear-drop  hangs  and  trembles, 
Tho'  heaven  alone  records  the  tear, 

And  Fame  shall  never  know  the  story, 
The  heart  has  shed  a  drop  as  dear 

As  ever  dewed  the  field  of  glory. 

The  wife  who  girds  her  husband's  sword, 

Mid  little  ones  that  weep  or  wonder, 
And  bravely  speaks  the  cheering  word — 

What  though  the  heart  be  rent  asunder? 
Doomed  nightly,  in  her  dreams,  to  hear 

The  bolts  of  war  around  him  rattle, 
Hath  shed  as  sacred  blood  as  e'er 

Was  poured  upon  the  field  of  battle. 

The  mother  who  conceals  her  grief 

While  to  her  breast  her  son  she  presses, 
Then  breathes  a  few  brave  words  and  brief, 

Kissing  the  patriot  brow  she  blesses ; 
With  no  one  but  her  secret  God 

To  know  the  pain  that  weighs  upon  her, 
Sheds  holy  blood  as  e'er  the  sod 

Received  on  Freedom's  field  of  honor. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

col.  garfield's  victory  over  Humphrey  Marshall. — 

poem,    "god  save  our    land." emancipation    in 

the  district  of  columbia. 

Hovv  vividly  are  the  memories  of  those  terrible 
years  of  war  burned  into  the  consciousness  of  all  who 
were  of  an  age  to  know  of  its  daily  history !  It  was 
almost  the  only  theme  of  daily  conversation.  Not  one 
but  had  a  friend — perchance  a  father,  a  brother,  a  son 
— exposed  to  its  dangers  and  hardships.  Each  little 
village  had  its  recruiting  office,  and  the  shrill  notes  of 
the  fife  and  the  roll  of  drums  were  familiar  sounds. 
And  ever  and  anon,  those  awful  zinc-covered  boxes 
were  unloaded  at  some  door,  within  which  were  the  re- 
mains of  those  who  had  given  their  lives  that  we  might 
have  a  country.  The  Church  Aid  Society  was  changed 
to  Soldiers'  Aid  Society  ;  the  news  of  the  last  battle 
and  of  the  probabilities  of  the  next ;  the  merits  of  this 
General  and  that ;  and  all  the  mighty  events  which  now 
are  history,  superseded  the  common  gossip  of  periods 
of  peace. 

Mr.  Garfield  had  entered  the  service,  and  in  my 
journal,  under  date  of  Dec.  7,  1861,  I  find  the  fact 
mentioned  that  he  had  been  appointed  Colonel  of  the 
Forty-second  Ohio  Volunteers,  and  was  at  Camp 
Chase. 

In  my  paper  of  January  16,  1862,  I  had  the  pleas- 

323 


324  REMINISCENCES    OF 

ure  of  announcing  his  victory  over  Humphrey  Mar- 
shall, which  was  rewarded  by  his  promotion  to  the 
rank  of  Brigadier  General.  Of  course  I  had  the  most 
unbounded  confidence  in  his  ability  to  do  anything 
within  the  range  of  possibility.  A  week  later  I  pub- 
lished the  dispatch  in  which  he  announced  his  success 
to  the  Government: 

Headquarters  i8th  Brigade,      ~i 
Prestonburg,  Jan.  11,  1862.  / 
To  Capt.  J.  B.  Fry,  A.  A.  G. : 

I  left  Paintsville  on  Thursday  noon,  with  eleven  hundred  men,  and 
drove  in  the  enemy's  pickets  two  miles  below  Prestonburg.  The  men 
slept  on  their  arms.  At  4  o'clock  yesterday  morning  we  moved  toward 
the  main  body  of  the  enemy,  at  the  forks  of  Middle  Creek,  under 
command  of  Marshall.  Skirmishing  with  his  outposts  began  at 
8  o'clock,  and  at  1  P.  M.  we  engaged  his  force  of  2,500  men  and  three 
cannon  posted  on  the  hill.  We  fought  them  till  dark,  having  been  re- 
inforced by  700  men  from  Paintsville,  and  drove  the  enemy  from  all  his- 
positions. 

He  carried  off  the  majority  of  his  dead,  and  all  his  wounded. 
This  morning  we  found  twenty-seven  of  his  dead  on  the  field.  His 
killed  can  not  be  less  than  sixty.  We  have  taken  twenty-five  prison- 
ers, ten  horses,  and  a  quantity  of  stores. 

The  enemy  burned  most  of  his  stores  and  fled  precipitately.  To- 
day I  have  crossed  the  river,  and  am  now  occupying  Prestonburg.  Our 
loss  is  two  killed  and  twenty-five  wounded. 

J.  A.  Garfield, 
Col.  Commanding  Brigade. 

While  the  battle  above  reported  may  be  of  trifling 
importance  compared  with  some  of  the  great  engage- 
ments of  the  war,  yet  it  occurred  at  a  time  and  in  a 
community  which  vastly  magnified  its  effect.  We  had 
for  months  been  accustomed  to  record  battles  in  which 
the  dashing  Southern  troops  usually  came  out  with  the 
principal  honors,  and  the  country  hailed  the  victory  of 
the  young  Ohio  Colonel  over  a  superior  force  com- 
manded by  experienced  officers. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  325 

Early  in  February  came  the  glorious  news  of  the 
capture  of  Forts  Henry  and  Donelson,  with  many 
thousand  prisoners,  and  the  occupation  of  Nashville. 
From  that  time  onward  the  name  of  General  Grant  be- 
came a  household  word. 

By  the  help  of  my  Union  friends  I  was  enabled  in 
April,  1862,  to  obtain  new  type  for  my  paper,  and  not 
being  satisfied  with  the  name  which  my  predecessor 
had  chosen,  changed  it  to  The  Rochester  Chronicle. 
The  first  number  under  the  new  name  and  in  the  new 
-dress  contained  the  following  lines,  written  by  the 
editor  : 

GOD  SAVE  OUR  LAND. 

God  in  heaven  !  earth's  mighty  Monarch, 

From  thy  burning  throne  on  high 
Look  with  pity  on  our  Nation — 

Let  it  not  untimely  die. 

Art  thou  still  the  God  and  Father 

Of  the  poor  and  the  oppressed  ? 
Dost  Thou  love  Thy  stricken  children? 

Wilt  Thou  give  Thy  children  rest? 

On  the  land  and  on  the  ocean, 

Wilt  Thou  break  th'  oppressor's  power? 

Slavery's  doom  is  surely  written 
On  the  records  of  the  hour. 

But,  O,  must  this  damning  plague-spot 

Then  be  washed   away  in  blood  ? 
Does  the  only  path  to  freedom 

Lead  through  st'~>rm  and  fire  and  flood? 

Must  it  be  as  when  from  Egypt 

Thou  didst  lead  the  Hebrew  slave — 

That  each  home  must  mourn  a  loved  one 
Filling  an  untimely  grave? 


326  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Pity  us,  O  Lord,  our  Father ! 

Spare,  O  spare  th'  uplifted  rod ! 
Let  Thy  vengeance  not  consume  us : 

Be,  as  Thou  hast  been,  our  God  ! 

Lead  us  from  the  gloom  and  darkness ; 

Oh  !   dispel  the  shades  of  night ; 
Let  the  glorious  light  of  morning 

Come  to  give  the  land  delight. 

Lo !   the  thunder-shock  of  battle 

Rocks  the  sunny  Southern  land 
And  the  cannon's  fearful  rattle 

Echoes  o'er  the  ocean's  strand  ! 

Thou,  O  God,  in  days  departed, 

Wast  the  God  of  Sabbaoth  ! 
Hast  thou  still  the  unseen  armies 

Thou  didst  send  in  vengeance  forth? 

Proudly  o'er  each  field  of  battle 

May  our  star-gemmed  banner  wave ; 

Grant,  we  pray,  that  right  may  triumph, 
Though  each  traitor  find  a  grave. 

To  the  people  of  to-day  it  will  seem  scarcely  possi- 
ble that  for  many  months  after  the  beginning  of  the 
war  many  of  the  officers  of  the  army  were  accustomed 
to  arrest  all  escaped  slaves  and  send  them  back  to  their 
rebel  masters  !  In  fact,  a  very  large  number  of  the  of- 
ficers educated  at  West  Point  were  so  intensely  pro- 
slavery  in  their  sentiments  that  they  were  unwilling  to 
do  anything  which  might  hurt  the  "peculiar  institu- 
tion." It  was  not  until  the  war  had  been  waged  a 
whole  year  that  Congress,  by  a  vote  far  from  unani- 
mous, passed  a  bill  to  emancipate  the  slaves  in  the  Dis- 
trict of  Coumbia,  paying  their  masters  $300  for  each 
slave  set  free. 

In  my  paper  of  April  17,  1862,  I  thus  announced  it : 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  327 

EMANCIPATION  IN  THE   DISTRICT  OF  COLUMBIA. 

After  a  struggle  of  nearly  half  a  century,  during  which  time  the 
champions  of  Right  have  been  slowly  but  surely  gaining  ground,  a 
law  has  been  passed  ridding  the  District  of  Columbia  of  African  slav- 
ery. Henceforth  the  National  Capital  will  no  longer  be  disgraced  by 
the  brutal  exhibition  of  the  slave-trader  driving  his  chained  victims 
through  its  streets. 

Slavery  at  the  capital  has  been  a  burning  disgrace  to  the  nation, 
and  has  always  caused  the  blush  of  shame  to  mantle  the  cheek  of 
every  patriot  when  the  foreigner  saw  its  hideousness  and  pointed  at  it 
the  finger  of  scorn.  While  no  other  civilized  nation  permitted  slavery 
at  its  capital,  yet  America,  boasting  of  her  free  institutions,  cherished 
the  infernal  system ;  and  men  were  bought  and  sold  like  dumb  cattle, 
even  at  the  seat  of  government.  Congressmen  spent  the  time  filched 
from  public  duties  in  speculating  in  the  blood  and  bones  of  slaves,  and 
in  the  shameless  traffic  the  greater  the  per  cent,  of  pure  Anglo-Saxon 
blood,  the  higher  the  price  of  the  victim.  The  city  bearing  the  hon- 
ored name  of  the  father  of  his  country  became  a  den  of  thieves ;  the 
brothel  of  the  debauchee  and  the  hell  of  the  gambler  were  the  fitting 
counterparts  of  the  loathsome  market-place  of  the  dealer  in  slaves. 

There  has  never  been  a  doubt  as  to  the  constitutional  power  of 
Congress  to  remove  the  curse,  and  yet  the  minions  of  the  slave  power, 
aided  by  the  venal  demagogues  of  the  North,  have  hugged  the  rotten 
and  reeking  system,  and  have  managed  to  defeat  justice  through  the 
long  yeais  of  the  past.     Thank  God!  the  right  has  triumphed  at  last. 

In  the  same  paper  is  announced  the  battle  of  Pitts- 
burg- Landing,  with  the  sad  record  of  the  awful  price 
paid  for  our  victory. 

In  my  paper  of  Sept.   18,  1862,  appear  the  following 

notices,  among  the  current  news : 

Gen.  James  A.  Garfield,  who  distinguished  himself  by  defeating 
Humphrey  Marshall,  and  by  the  daring  capture  of  a  rebel  camp  in 
Eastern  Kentucky,  has  been  ordered  lo  report  at  Washington  in  per- 
son, and  it  is  rumored  that  he  is  to  receive  an  important  command. 

The  following  notices,  copied  from  the  Chicago 
Tribune,  also  appeared  in  the  same  paper : 

Gen.  Garfield,  known  as  the  "praying  Colonel,"  is  the  Republican 
nominee  for  Congress  in  the  old  Giddings  district,  Ohio.  Col.  Garfield, 


328  REMINISCENCES    OF 

when  the  war  broke  out,  was  President  of  Hiram  College,  in  Ohio,  and 
graduated  from  that  as  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Forty-second  Ohio 
Regiment.  He  has  since  been  made  successively  a  Colonel  and  Briga- 
dier General,  for  bravery  and  ability  displayed  on  the  field. 

At  the  election  that  fall  for  members  of  Congress 
the  Republican  candidate  in  our  district  in  Indiana  was 
Schuyler  Colfax.  He  had  held  the  place  for  many 
years,  and  his  earnest  patriotism  and  generous  and  un- 
selfish labors  for  the  soldiers  had  rendered  him  exceed- 
ingly popular  with  the  Indiana  regiments.  In  his  own 
county — St.  Joseph — when  requested  to  write  an 
article  for  his  old  paper,  he  wrote : 

You  ask  me  to  write  an  editorial  for  this  week's  Register  on  the 
War.  It  will  be  my  first  one  after  an  eight  months'  absence,  and 
probably  the  last  for  months  to  come.  It  will  be  brief,  for  time 
is  precious,  and  the  armies  of  the  Union  are  longing  to  hear  the 
tramp  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  armed  men,  not  only  for  their 
own  reinforcement,  but  to  aid  them  in  crushing  the  hydra  heads  of  se- 
cession before  the  forests  are  filled  with  the  fal.ing  leaves  of  autumn. 
And  here  it  is:  To  the  first  fifty  volunteers  who  after  this  date  are 
enrolled  in  the  companies  raising  in  St.  Joseph  county,  I  will  give  ten 
dollars  each.     .     .     .  Schuyler  Colfax. 

A  few  days  later  he  deposited  $100  in  addition  to 
the  above  $500,  to  be  used  for  the  benefit  of  the  sick 
of  a  company  going  out  to  the  field.  His  generous 
contributions  for  the  soldiers  and  their  families,  so  far 
as  I  know,  were  not  excelled  by  any  man  of  his  means 
in  the  country.  He  had  made  a  vow  that  while  the 
war  lasted  he  would  spend  his  whole  income  for  the 
Union  cause,  and  he  nobly  redeemed  his  promise. 
That  fall  I  had  the  pleasure  of  becoming  quite  intim- 
ately acquainted  with  him  ;  an  acquaintance  which  con- 
tinued until  his  untimely  death,  and  a  nobler  man  I 
never  knew. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  329 

Mr.  Colfax  was  elected,  but  by  a  very  small  ma- 
jority, and  we  were  greatly  rejoiced  at  his  success. 

A  few  days  before  the  election  I  wrote  the  follow- 
ing lines  and  published  them  : 

TO  HON.   SCHUYLER  COLFAX. 

Bold  champion  of  the  Right,  toil  on; 

For  truth  shall  triumph  at  the  last ; 
Though  demons  hiss  and  traitors  rave, 

Though  skies  are  dark  and  overcast, 
Though  cowardly  foes  traduce  thy  name, 
And  seek  to  blast  thy  well-earned  fame, 
Ne'er  falter  in  the  glorious  fight, 
For  God  himself  will  aid  the  Right. 

Great  men  now  sleeping  in  their  graves 
Prayed  for  the  sight  our  eyes  behold, 

When  in  our  Nation's  capital 

Slaves  should  no  more  be  bought  and  sold. 

Could  envy  reach  the  "shining  shore" 

And  spirits  feel  earth's  longings  more, 

Then  souls  of  the  immortal  dead 

Might  covet  honors  from  thy  head ! 

That  one  great  act  of  righteousness 

Which  struck  the  fetters  from  the  slave 

Still  live  in  history  and  preserve 

Thy  name  from  dark  oblivion's  grave ! 

Columbia's  capital  is  free  ! 

No  more  the  wail  of  agony 

From  broken  hearts  to  God  shall  rise, 

Invoking  vengeance  from  the  skies! 

Then  labor  on  for  God  and  Right! 

Strike  boldly  in  our  holy  cause  : 
Fear  not  the  threats  of  ruffian  foes 

Who  'd  nullify  Jehovah's  laws  ! 
Whose  knavish  brains  ne'er  coined  a  thought 
That  might  not  be  for  dollars  bought ; 
Mistaking  infamy  for  fame, 
They  grovel  on  to  graves  of  shame. 


330  REMINISCENCES    OF 

In    September,     1862,    I    received    the     following 

letter : 

Howland  Springs,  Trumbull  Co.,  O.,  "l 
September  5,  1862.       J 

My  Dear  Corydon : — Your  kind  letter  of  the  25th  ult.  was  received 
a  few  days  ago.  I  was  exceedingly  glad  to  hear  from  you.  I  have  not 
heard  from  you  for  a  long  time,  only  by  way  of  your  paper,  a  copy  of 
which  has  from  time  to  time  found  its  way  into  camp  and  reached  me. 
I  ought  to  have  left  the  field  two  months  ago,  but  I  had  hoped  to  ward 
off  disease,  but  for  being  put  on  that  miserable  Court  Martial,  where  I 
was  shut  up  for  near  forty  days  in  a  hot  room,  where  I  could  get  na 
exercise ;  and  at  last  I  broke  down.  It  was  doubted  by  some  whether 
I  could  live  to  get  home.  I  lost  forty-three  pounds  of  flesh,  and  was 
so  weak  that  1  had  to  lie  on  a  coucli  in  the  court  the  last  ten  days  of 
my  attendance.  I  had  the  jaundice  very  badly,  and  the  chronic 
diarrhoea.  I  am  getting  better  ;  indeed,  I  am  nearly  free  from  disease, 
but  I  am  very  weak.  I  have  come  away  here  to  a  quiet  farmer's  home, 
where  there  is  a  medicinal  spring,  and  I  could  get  rest  away  from  the 
school  and  the  crowd  of  visitors. 

I  hope  to  be  able  to  take  the  field  again  in  a  few  weeks.  I  have 
just  received  a  telegram  from  Secretary  Stanton,  ordering  me  to  report 
at  Washington  in  person  for  orders,  as  soon  as  I  am  well  enough.  It 
is  rumored  that  I  am  to  have  a  larger  command,  but  what  and  where  I 
do  not  know.  The  doctor  says  I  will  not  be  fit  for  duty  before  the  first 
of  October,  but  I  am  very  restive  under  this  restraint,  I  assure  you. 

After  so  many  months  of  preparation,  there  now  seems  to  be 
a  hope  of  active  work,  and  it  is  a  great  trial  to  me  to  have  to  lie  here 
and  do  nothing.  Crete  and  Trot  are  with  me,  and  but  for  the  war  I 
should  be  very  glad  to  enjoy  their  society  once  more.  Trot  is  twenty- 
six  months  old,  and  I  have  lived  with  her  but  eight  months  of  that 
time. 

On  the  2nd  inst.  I  was  nominated  to  Congress  from  this  district.  I 
had  taken  no  part  in  the  canvass,  and  did  not  even  attend  the  conven- 
tion.    It  was  a  spontaneous  act  of  the  people. 

The  Eclectic  is  doing  well.  We  have  nearly  two  hundred  students. 
I  hope  you  may  not  fail  in  your  paper.  Can  I  aid  you  in  any  way  ?  Let 
me  know.  Give  my  love  to  Mary.  Crete  joins  me  in  love  to  you 
both.  Let  me  hear  from  you  again.  Direct  to  Hiram,  and  if  I  am 
gone  it  will  be  forwarded  to  me. 

With  much  love,  I  am,  as  of  yore, 

Your  brother,  James. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  33  I 

Mr.  Garfield's  great  learning  and  his  love  of  justice 
were  recognized  as  eminently  fitting  him  for  service 
upon  courts  martial,  and  for  these  reasons  he  was 
compelled  to  serve,  even  at  the  sacrifice  of  health  and 
strength.  Among  the  important  trials  in  which  he  had 
a  part  was  that  of  Col.  Turchin,  who  was  accused  of 
permitting  the  burning  of  Athens,  Ala  ,  and  other  con- 
duct not  becoming  to  an  officer.  While  the  court  was 
obliged  to  find  him  guilty  of  some  of  the  charges, 
there  must  have  been  palliating  circumstances,  as  Mr. 
Lincoln  soon  after  made  him  a  Brigadier  General. 

Capt.  M.  T.  Russell,  of  Des  Moines,  who  was  serv- 
ing in  an  Indiana  regiment,  and  who  was  well  ac- 
quainted  with  the  circumstances,  informs  me  that  a  few 
bushwhackers  had  assassinated  Gen.  McCook,  and  for 
this  cause  the  soldiers  of  his  command  burned  Athens, 
as  well  as  many  of  the  buildings  on  adjacent  planta- 
tions. Col.  Turchin  probably  sympathized  with  the 
soldiers,  and  was  not  as  energetic  in  repressing  their 
unlawful  conduct  as  was  required  by  the  laws  of  war. 

At  the  election  in  October.  1862,  Mr.  Garfield  was 
triumphantly  elected  to  the  seat  in  Congress  so  long 
and  so  ably  filled  by  Joshua  R.  Giddings.  But  as  his 
term  of  service  did  not  begin  until  December,  1863,  he 
remained  in  the  army. 

A  few  weeks  after  the  above  letter  was  written  he 
reported  at  Washington,  and  was  detailed  to  serve  upon 
the  court  Martial  for  the  trial  of  Gen.  Fitz  John  Porter, 
the  trial  lasting  from  December  1,  1862,  to  January 
10,  1863. 

Early  in  September,  President  Lincoln  had  issued 
his  preliminary  proclamation  of  emancipation,  in  whieh 
he  had  announced  that  on  the  first  of  January,    1863, 


332  REMINISCENCES    OF 

all  slaves  within  the  States  at  that  time  in  rebellion 
should  be  declared  forever  free,  and  pledged  the  entire 
military  power  of  the  Government  to  maintain  their 
freedom. 

The  shadows  which  brooded  over  the  Nation  during 
the  closing  days  of  that  eventful  year  were  dark  indeed. 
The  disastrous  battle  of  Fredericksburg  had  been 
fought  in  December  with  a  loss  to  our  army  of  many 
thousands,  and  there  was  mourning  in  a  multitude  of 
Northern  homes  for  those  who  should  return  no  more. 
While  the  hosts  of  those  who  were  loyal  and  true  to  the 
Government  were  as  determined  and  resolute  as  ever, 
there  were  not  a  few  whose  sympathies  were  with  the 
men  who  were  bent  upon  the  destruction  of  the  Union, 
that  they  might  build  upon  its  ruins  a  new  nation  whose 
corner-stone  should  be  African  slavery.  The  course 
taken  by  these  misguided  if  not  unprincipled  men 
could  not  fail  to  prolong  the  gigantic  struggle,  and  no 
one  could  foresee  the  end. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

i 

NEW     YEAR'S,      1863. LETTER      FROM     MURFREESBORO. 

ROSECRANS. DEATH     OF    DR.     BRACKET. — OHIO    ELEC- 
TION. 

[From  the  Rochester  Chronicle,  Jan.  1,  1863,] 
THE  OLD  AND  THE  NEW  YEAR. 

'•  The  year,  alas  !  is  gone 
Forever  from  the  world  !      He  seemed  too  strong 
Too  mighty  e'er  to  die.     He  laid  his  hand 
On  breathing  millions,  and  they  sank  beneath 
The  green  grass  of  the  grave  !     He  blew  aloud 
The  trumpet-blast  of  battle,  and  dark  hosts 
Met  in  the  mortal  shock,  and  when  the  flame 
And  smoke  of  conflict  had  gone  by,  they  lay 
Like  Autumn's  red  leaves  on  the  plain.      He  passed 
O'er  earth,  and  at  each  wave  of  his  broad  wings, 
Volcano,  earthquake,  whirlwind,  storm  and  flood 
Sprang  up  beneath  the  silent  spell,  and  wrought 
The  fearful  ends  of  their  destiny. 
Yet  now,  his  own  great  mission  done,  he  lies 
On  scorched  and  broken  pinions,  with  the  dead, 
There,  there  to  sleep." 

The  year  1862  has  passed  away,  and  its  mighty  record  is  made  up 
for  time  and  eternity.  Few  of  the  years  that  go  to  make  up  the  vast 
cycles  of  the  past  have  witnessed  greater  events  than  the  last  year.  A 
gigantic  system  of  oppression,  so  dark  and  damnable  in  its  features 
that  history  affords  no  parallel,  has  inaugurated  a  struggle  for-  the 
overthrow  of  free  institutions;  an'd  the  mighty  North,  strong  in  its 
consciousness  of  right,  has  marshalled  its  thick  hosts  for  the  fearful 
conflict.  Eight  hundred  thousand  of  the  noblest  young  men  of  the 
land  hail  the  ligh't  of  this  New  Year's  morning  from  the  tented  field  ; 
and  more  than  five  hundred  thousand  Northern  homes,  as  their  inmates 
gather  around  the  hearthstone,  count  some  member  absent,  perhaps 
slumbering  in  a  bloody  shroud, 

"On  the  banks  of  some  lone  river," 

333 


334  REMINISCENCES    OF 

in  the  land  of  the  snowy  cotton,  or  exposed  to  all  the   perils  of  the 
battle-field. 

Within  the  last  twelve  months  our  heroic  soldiers  have  performed 
deeds  of  daring  that  vie  in  glory  with  those  of  the  immortal  heroes 
whose  names  have  been  the  theme  of  poets  and  orators  for  the  last 
forty  centuries.  On  the  fields  of  Donelson,  of  Shiloh,  of  Antietam,  of 
Prairie  Grove  and  of  Fredericksburg,  as  noble  blood  has  been  as  freely 
shed  as  ever  flowed  from  Spartan  veins,  or  from  the  hearts  of  the  sol- 
diers that  carried  the  victorious  eagles  of  the  Csesars  from  the  gates  of 
the  Eternal  City  to  the  distant  shores  of  proud  and  haughty  Albion. 
Nobly  has  the  North  vindicated  her  title  to  a  place  in  the  van  of  na- 
tions, by  her  heroic  devotion  to  the  cause  of  right. 

But  if  our  hearts  are  sad  as  we  think  of  the  homes  desolated,  of 
the  orphans  and  widows  to  whom  the  New  Year  brings  no  thought  of 
joy  and  gladness,  yet  let  us  not  despair.  All  is  not  lost.  A  brighter 
day  is  surely  coming,  for  it  can  not  be  that  the  pall  of  an  eternal  night 
is  about  to  settle  in  rayless  gloom  over  the  land  for  which  Washington 
fought  and  Warren  fell!  Oh,  no!  Ere  the  year  upon  which  we  are 
now  entering  shall  have  passed  away,  light  will  burst  forth,  and  the 
darkness  that  now  environs  us  shall  flee  away. 

This  day  our  noble  Chief  Magistrate  is  to  proclaim  liberty  to  the 
captive,  the  Year  of  Jubilee  to  the  oppressed  and  downtrodden  mil- 
lions of  toiling  slaves,  who  have  long  been  held  in  a  bondage  more 
bitter  than  has  cursed  any  other  portion  of  the  human  race  since  time 
began.  The  inspiring  cry  shall  echo  from  continent  to  continent,  and 
the  good  and  great  of  every  land  will  sympathize  with  us  in  our  strug- 
gle for  the  restoration  of  the  Union  and  for  the  establishment  of  the 
eternal  principles  of  truth  and  justice.  With  such  aims  and  objects, 
failure  must  be  impossible.  Every  attribute  of  the  Infinite  Jehovah 
will  be  enlisted  in  our  favor. 

'T  is  true,  we  shall  have  the  bitter  and  unscrupulous  opposition  of 
all  the  fiends  of  the  infernal  world,  with  every  ally  the  Prince  of  Dark- 
ness has  on  earth.  Those  who  love  iniquity  and  hate  right  and  right- 
eousness, have  always  stood  in  the  way  of  every  reform,  and  loaded 
with  contumely  and  reproach  the  best  men  earth  has  ever  known.  Just 
such  men  as  now  oppose  freedom,  and  vomit  forth  their  malicious  lies 
concerning  all  who  are  actuated  by  true  and  holy  principles,  persecuted 
the  Saviour  from  one  end  of  Palestine  to  the  other,  and  finally  tri- 
umphed, for  the  time,  by  accomplishing  the  murder  of  the  Son  of 
God  !     But  truth  is  mighty,  and  must  ultimately  prevail. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  335 

Slavery  has  been  the  only  thing  antagonistic  to  our  national 
unity,  and  when  it  is  swept  away  forever,  as  we  believe  in  the  provi- 
dence of  God  it  will  be,  no  man  can  predict  the  career  of  prosperity 
and  glory  that  will  be  opened  to  our  enfranchised  country.  Purged  of 
the  only  stain  which  has  disgraced  her  fair  escutcheon,  she  will  be  in 
truth  the  land  of  the  free.  To  such  a  prospect  we  confidently  look  for- 
ward, and  though  dark  clouds  now  hang  around  our  horizon,  we  have 
an  abiding  trust  that  from  the  terrible  ordeal  of  fiery  trial  through 
which  we  are  now  passing,  we  shall  emerge  purified  and  ennobled,  with 
higher  purposes  and  higher  aims,  and  more  worthy  of  the  blessings 
which  God  has  so  richly  bestowed  upon  our  favored  land,  and  which  he 
has  in  store  for  us  in  the  future. 

To  the  kind  friends  who  have  so  generously  stood  by  us  during 
the  past  year,  we  tender  our  most  sincere  and  heartfelt  thanks,  and 
promise  that  no  effort  shall  be  wanting  en  our  part,  in  the  future,  to 
render  the  weekly  visits  of  the  Chronicle  both  pleasant  and  profitable. 
Let  us  labor  together  for  the  dissemination  of  the  principles  of  truth* 
and  success  will  at  length  reward  our  efforts.  With  such  hopes  and 
such  determinations,  we  most  heartily  wish  all  our  friends  a  Happy 
New  Year. 

In  the  spring  of  1863,  General  Garfield  was  ap- 
pointed Chief  on  the  staff  of  Gen.*  W.  S.  Rosecrans, 
then  in  command  of  our  army  in  Tennessee.  The  du- 
ties of  this  office  were  very  important,  and  history  has 
told  how  ably  and  faithfully  he  performed  them.  A 
great  army  was  being  gathered  at  Murfreesboro  for  the 
purpose  of  opposing  and  crushing  the  rebel  army  before 
them  under  the  command  of  Gen.  Bragg.  At  Vicks- 
burg,  Gen.  Grant  was  slowly  but  surely  gathering  about 
the  beleaguered  city,  with  that  indomitable  purpose 
which  never  contemplated  any  other  possible  end  of 
the  struggle  except  unconditional  surrender. 

The  days  drifted  slowly  by,  and  not  only  the  coun- 
try but  the  army  grew  tired  of  the  long  delay.  Gar- 
field himself  was  growing  impatient,  and  felt  that  the 
hour  was  come  when  a  decisive  blow  should  be  struck, 


336  REMINISCENCES    OF 

and  he  believed  it  would  result  in  the  annihilation  of 
the  rebel  army.  But  Gen.  Rosecrans  still  waited, 
whether  from  timidity  or  disinclination  to  crush  those 
who  had  been  and  have  since  been  his  political  friends, 
may  be  a  question  ;  one  excuse  after  another  was  given 
why  the  struggle  should  be  postponed. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Gen.  Garfield  wrote  the 
letter  to  Salmon  P.  Chase,  which  subjected  him  to  se- 
vere criticism  from  men  who  believed  that  every  strip- 
ling who  obtained  his  education  at  West  Point  must  be 
infinitely  the  superior  of  all  who  learned  the  art  of  war 
only  on  battle-fields,  and  who  were  unskilled  in  the 
petty  tactics  of  holiday  soldiers.  Within  a  few  days  of 
the  same  time  he  wrote  the  following  letter  to  me,  ex- 
pressing precisely  the  same  sentiments  : 

Headquarters  ^ 

Army  of  the  Cumberland,  v 

Murfreesboro,  May  4,  1863.      J 

My  Beat  Corydon : — Yours  of  April  1  was  received  by  the  hand  of 
Lieut.  Beeber,  and  I  assure  you  it  was  read  with  great  pleasure.  When 
I  was  in  Washington  last  winter,  I  saw  Mr.  Colfax,  who  spoke  very 
kindly  and  highly  of  you.  I  have  now  fully  recovered  my  health,  and 
for  the  last  three  months  have  been  hardy  and  robust.  My  duties  are 
very  full  of  work  here,  and  I  have  never  been  more  pressingly  crowded 
with  labors  than  now.  I  have  not  retired,  on  an  average,  before  two 
o'clock  for  the  last  two  months  and  a  half.  Gen.  Rosecrans  shares  all 
his  counsels  with  me,  and  places  a  large  share  of  the  responsibility  of 
the  management  of  this  army  upon  me,  even  more  than  I  sometimes 
wish  he  did. 

This  army  is  now  in  admirable  condition.  The  poor  and  weak 
material  has  been  worked  out,  and  what  we  now  have  is  hard  brawn 
and  solid  muscle.  It  is  hvan  admirable  state  of  discipline,  and  when 
its  engineries  are  fully  set  in  motion  it  will  make  itself  felt. 

From  all  the  present  indications,  it  can  not  be  long  before  we 
meet  the  rebel  army  now  in  our  front,  and  try  its  strength  again. 
When  the  day  comes,  it  bids  fair  to  be  the  bloodiest  fighting  of  the 
war. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  337 

One  thing  is  settled  in  my  mind  :  direct  blows  at  the  rebel  army — 
bloody  righting — is  all  that  can  end  the  rebellion.  In  European  wars, 
if  you  capture  the  chief  city  of  a  nation,  you  have  substantially  cap- 
tured the  nation.  The  army  that  holds  London,  Paris,  Vienna,  or 
Berlin,  holds  England,  Fiance,  Austria,  or  Prussia.  Not  so  in  this 
war.  The  rebels  have  no  city,  the  capture  of  which  will  overthrow 
their  power.  If  we  take  Richmond,  the  rebel  government  can  be  put 
on  wheels  and  trundled  away  into  the  interior,  with  all  its  archives,  in 
two  days.  Hence  our  real  objective  point  is  not  any  place  or  district, 
but  the  rebel  army  wherever  we  find  it.  We  must  crush  and  pulverize 
them,  and  then  all  places  and  territories  fall  into  our  hands  as  a  conse- 
quence. 

These  views  lead  me  to  hope  and  believe  that  before  many  days 
we  shall  join  in  a  death-grapple  with  Bragg  and  Johnston.  God  grant 
that  we  may  be  successful.  The  armies  are  nearly  equal  in  numbers, 
and  both  are  full  of  valiant  soldiers,  well  drilled  and  disciplined. 

I  am  glad  to  hear  of  your  success  in  the  Chronicle,  and  especially 
in  the  triumph  in  your  region  over_the  copperheads. 

The  little  circumstance  you  related  to  me  of  the  soldier  in  the  51st 
Indiana,  touches  my  heart.  I  wish  you  would  write  a  letter  for  me  to 
Joseph  Lay,  and  express  my  sympathy  with  him  for  the  loss  of  his 
brave  son,  who  was  many  times  with  me  under  the  fire  of  the  enemy. 
I  want  to  know  of  the  health  of  his  family,  and  especially  of  that  little 
one  to  whom  the  affection  of  the  father  gave  my  name. 

John  E.  McGowan  is  here,  visiting  me.  He  is  a  Captain  in  the 
I  nth  Ohio.  He  wishes  to  be  kindly  remembered.  Give  my  love  to 
Mary,  and  let  me  hear  from  you  both.  With  the  love  of  other  days,  I 
am,  as  ever,  Your  brother, 

James. 

Capt.  McGowan  was  one  of  the  students  at  Hiram 
at  the  time  of  my  attendance,  and  we  had  been  well 
acquainted. 

Joseph  Lay  was  a  highly  respected  citizen  of  Ful- 
ton county,  Indiana,  and  his  son,  Thomas,  leaving  his 
wife  in  his  father's  care,  had  gone  forth  at  his  country's 
call,  as  it  proved  to  give  his  life  for  her  defense.  Dur- 
ing his  absence  his  wife  had  given  birth  to  a  son,  and 
from  his  dying  cot  in  a  rude  hospital  he  had  sent  home 


338  REMINISCENCES    OF 

the  request  that  the  child  he  had  never  seen  should  be 
given  the  name  of  his  beloved  commander.  It  was  to 
this  incident  that  the  great  hearted  Garfield  alluded  in 
the  above  letter.  Lieut.  Beeber,  the  bearer  of  my  let- 
ter to  which  his  was  an  answer,  was  a  brave  and  faith- 
ful officer  from  our  own  village. 

It  will  be  noted  that  as  early  as  May  4,  1863,  Gen. 
Garfield  thought  the  time  had  come  to  strike  Bragg's 
army.  He  argued  that  so  soon  as  Gen.  Grant  should  take 
Vicksburg,  the  rebel  army  which  had  been  endeavoring 
to  raise  the  siege  of  that  stronghold  would  be  at  liberty 
to  unite  with  Bragg,  and  thus  add  largely  to  his  effec- 
tive force.  Further,  the  hot  southern  sun  must  pro- 
duce sickness  in  their  own  camps,  and  disease  would 
deplete  their  ranks  and  reduce  their  strength.  Recent 
developments  have  shown  that  Gen.  Grant  entertained 
precisely  the  same  opinions  and  repeatedly  urged  that 
Gen.  Rosecrans  move  against  Bragg  while  the  army 
under  Johnston  was  detached  in  order  to  relieve  Vicks- 
burg. But  there  was  too  little  of  a  real  soldier  in  Ro- 
secrans to  secure  effective  work.  He  waited  and 
waited,  under  one  pretext  or  another,  and  the  precious 
months  drifted  by.  Who  believes  that  a  General  like 
Napoleon  Bonaparte  would  have  wasted  a  whole  sum- 
mer watching  an  army  not  his  equal  in  numbers  and  far 
less  effectively  equipped,  and  postponed  the  day  of 
battle?  Who  believes  that  Gen.  Grant  would  have 
fought  the  battle  of  Chickamauga  late  in  September  in- 
stead of  May  ?  It  was  a  sad  fact  that  the  inefficiency 
of  our  commanding  Generals  cost  us  countless  lives  and 
prolonged  the  struggle  many  terrible  months.  The 
late  efforts  of  the  egotistical  Rosecrans  to  prove  him- 
self an  abler  General  than  U.  S.  Grant  will  not  be  apt 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  339 

to  reverse  the  verdict  of  history  ;  neither  will  his  mali- 
cious and  cowardly  kicks  at  the  dead  lion  add  to  his 
own  reputation  or  mar  that  of  the  hero  of  Donelson, 
Vicksburg  and  Appomattox. 

In  those  days  not  a  few  of  us  firmly  believed  that, 
while  the  citizen  soldiery  longed  for  the  end  of  the  war 
and  desired  most  earnestly  to  return  to  their  homes, 
not  a  few  higher  offiers,  who  were  professional  soldiers, 
were  in  no  hurry  to  conquer  a  peace.  They  were 
well  paid  and  the  way  was  open  to  their  promotion, 
and  they  were  of  far  more  importance  while  the  war 
should  last  than  they  could  ever  hope  to  be  in  time  of 
peace.  Of  course,  this  would  not  apply  to  all,  but  far 
too  man)7  showed  unmistakably  that  they  were  either 
cowardly  and  incompetent  or  not  at  all  anxious  to 
hasten  the  end  of  the  struggle. 

Garfield  had  gone  into  the  army,  not  because  he 
loved  its  terrible  work,  but  because  he  believed  that 
only  by  it  could  the  nation  be  saved  from  ruin.  Every 
pulsation  of  his  great  heart  was  with  the  most  earnest 
desire  to  see  the  end  of  the  terrible  contest.  But  while 
it  was  to  last,  he  believed  the  true  course  to  be  such 
quick  and  terrible  blows  as  should  convince  the  rebel- 
lious States  that  they  must  surrender  and  come  back  to 
their  allegiance  or  be  destroyed. 

History  has  already  accorded  to  him  great  military 
ability,  and  his  friends  have  always  greatly  regretted 
that  he  could  not  have  had  an  independent  command 
in  the  field,  believing  he  would  have  more  than  justi- 
fied their  proudest  hopes  and  expectations.  There  is 
no  doubt  that  Gen.  Thomas  shared  in  this  opinion. 

Among  the  priceless  contributions  of  our  village  to 
the   war  for  the   Union  was   the   life  of    Dr.    Charles 


34C  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Brackett,  who  went  into  the  army  almost  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  struggle,  and  died  at  Helena,  Ark.,  Feb. 
20,  1863.  He  was  Surgeon  of  the  9th  Illinois  Cavalry, 
and  was  widely  known  as  a  man  of  incorruptible  integ- 
rity as  well  as  an  ornament  to  his  profession.  He  was 
only  38  at  the  time  of  his  decease,  and  his  loss  was 
keenly  felt  in  the  community  where  he  had  enjoyed  a 
very  large  practice  and  was  known  in  almost  every 
home. 

The  following  lines  by  the  editor,  as  a  tribute  to 
his  memory,  were  published  in  the  Chronicle  of  March 
12,  1863  : 

Smooth  back  the  locks  from  his  high,  noble  brow; 
Take  the  last  look  as  he  lieth  there  now  ! 
Noble  and  god-like,  true-hearted  and  brave, 
He  died  as  a  martyr,  his  country  to  save. 
Far  from  his  home  and  his  loved  ones  he  fell, 
Doing  his  duty  both  bravely  and  well; 
Kneeling  at  night  by  the  sick  soldier's  bed, 
Watching  with  him  till  the  spirit  had  fled. 

Staunching  the  life-tide  that  flowed  from  the  spot 
Mangled  and  torn  by  the  death-dealing  shot ! 
Lay  his  body  to  rest  in  its  dark,  narrow  bed ; 
Number  him,  too,  with  our  patriot  dead ; 
For  the  hopes  that  we  cherished  "  grown  suddenly  dim, 
Let  us  weep  in  our  sadness,  but  weep  not  for  him !" 
Tho'  bitter  the  tears  that  in  anguish  we  shed, 
Let  us  weep  for  the  living,  and  not  for  the  dead. 

For  tho'  clouded  our  skies  and  our  vision  be  dim, 

Yet  bright  were  the  angels  that  beckoned  for  him ; 

And  the  spirits  that  dwell  on  the  bright,  "  shining  shore," 

Where  earth's  sorrows  and  sadness  can  trouble  no  more, 

Have  welcomed  him  home  to  that  beautiful  land, 

And  found  him  a  place  in  their  radiant  band. 

The  early  months  of  1863  had  been  signalized  by  no 
decisive  victories,  and  the  loyal  people  hailed  the  cap- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  34 1 

ture  of  Vicksburg  and  the  success  at  Gettysburg  with 
unbounded  joy.  It  is  true,  there  were  discordant 
sounds,  for  many  of  those  opposed  to  the  war  com- 
plained of  usurpation  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  and 
every  abusive  word  in  the  English  language,  or  which 
could  be  coined  from  any  foreign  tongue,  was  daily  ap- 
plied to  him  and  those  who  expressed  a  determination 
to  crush  the  rebellion  at  all  hazards.  Vallandigham 
had  been  arrested  for  his  seditious  language  and  sent 
to  his  friends  within  the  rebel  lines,  and  his  admirers 
had  at  once  nominated  him  for  Governor  of  Ohio,  in 
token  of  their  sympathy.  He  was  beaten  only  by 
about  one  hundred  thousand  majority. 

From  early  in  1863  until  the  close  of  the  war,  two 
years  later,  the  prejudices  between  the  supporters  of 
the  war  and  those  who  opposed  its  further  prosecution 
were  more  intense  than  it  is  now  possible  to  realize.  In 
our  village  there  were  two  celebrations  on  the  Fourth 
of  July,  the  supporters  of  the  war  for  the  Union  refus- 
ing to  join  with  those  whom  they  believed  to  be  traitors 
to  their  country  in  observing  the  national  holiday,  and 
the  following  is  a  sample  of  toasts  at  the  celebration  by 
the  unconditional  Union  men : 

"  The  first  copperhead :  he  was  found  coiled  in  a  tree  in  the  gar- 
den of  Eden,  preaching  treason  ;  the  race  has  not  improved  with  the 
lapse  of  six  thousand  years,  but  is  now,  as  then,  engaged  in  the  same 
vile  work." 

Morgan's  famous  raid  into  Ohio  occurred  in  July, 
resulting  in  the  loss  of  his  command.  Also,  the  great 
draft  riots  in  New  York  city  were  during  the  same 
month. 

In  September  came  Chickamauga  with  all  its  horrors. 
Our  soldiers  were  in  the  fight,  and  not  a  few  homes  in 


342  REMINISCENCES    OF 

our  little  village  mourned  for  those  who  should  return 
no  more.  But  even  more  bitter  to  us  than  our  sorrow 
for  the  dead  was  the  ill  concealed  joy  of  those  whose 
sympathies  were  with  their  country's  enemies.  Indiana 
was  full  of  them,  and  to  say  that  we  hated  them  a 
thousand  time  more  than  we  did  the  soldiers  in  the 
rebel  army  would  be  no  exaggeration  of  our  intensity 
of  feeling.  The  score  of  peaceful  years  which  has  in- 
tervened between  those  dark  days  and  the  present  has 
not  been  time  enough  to  cover  with  the  mantle  of  for- 
getfulness  those  bitter  memories,  and  enable  those  who 
loved  the  old  flag  and  sacrificed  their  costliest  offerings 
upon  their  country's  altar,  to  forgive  those  who  were 
false  at  heart  and  treacherous  to  the  land  which  gave 
them  birth  in  her  hour  of  supremest  sorrow  and  trial. 


CHAPTER  XL. 

GARFIELD  MADE  A  MAJOR    GENERAL.       THANKSGIVING    DAY 

IN    1863. 

The  battle  of  Chickamauga  was  reported  as  a  defeat 
of  our  army,  and  would  have  proved  disastrous  but  for 
the  gallantry  of  Gen.  Thomas,  who  resolutely  refused 
to  retreat,  but  held  the  hotly  contested  field.  The 
heroic  ride  of  Gen.  Garfield,  through  the  tempest  of 
iron  and  lead,  to  carry  aid  and  encouragement  to  that 
illustrious  General  are  matters  of  history,  and  need  not 
be  recounted  here.  In  his  report  of  the  battle,  Gen. 
Thomas-  spoke  in  the  highest  terms  of  Gen.  Garfield, 
and  when  the  latter,  as  the  bearer  of  dispatches,  reached 
Washington  a  few  days  later,  he  received  the  well  de- 
served honor  of  a  commission  as  Major  General. 

Early  in  November,  Gen.  Garfield  made  a  speech  at 
a  Union  meeting  at  Baltimore,  which  was  well  received 
and  widely  published.  The  election  that  fall  had  re- 
sulted generally  in  favor  of  the  friends  of  the  Govern- 
ment ;  in  Ohio  the  notorious  Vallandigham  had  been 
beaten  by  nearly  one  hundred  thousand  majority,  while 
Pennsylvania,  Iowa  and  many  other  States  had  spoken 
in  no  uncertain  sound  their  determination  to  crush  the 
rebellion  at  all  hazards,  and  at  any  cost. 

The  Congress  to  which  Mr.  Garfield-  had  been 
elected  the  preceding  fall  was  to  meet  in  December, 
1863,  and  though  he  was  very  anxious  to  return  to  the 


344  REMINISCENCES    OF 

army,  where  he  had  the  promise  of  an  important  com- 
mand, yet  at  the  urgent  request  of  President  Lincoln 
he  resigned  his  commission  and  entered  upon  his  duties 
as  Representative  of  the  Nineteenth  District  of  Ohio, 
so  long  and  so  ably  represented  by  Joshua  R.  Gid- 
dings. 

A  few  days  after  the  opening  of  the  session,  I  re- 
ceived the  following  letter 

Washington,  Dec.  13,  1863. 

My  Dear  Corydon : — On  my  arrival  here  one  week  ago,  I  found 
yours  of  the  1st  of  November  awaiting  me.  I  am  sorry  it  was  not 
forwarded  to  me,  but  it  lay  here  with  fifty  or  sixty  others. 

I  had  expected  to  get  here  some  time  before  the  session  began,  to 
secure  rooms  and  take  a  more  active  part  in  the  organization  of  the 
House,  but  1  was  detained  at  home  for  the  saddest  of  reasons.  We 
buried  our  precious  little  "  Trot  "  the  day  before  I  left  home.  I  sat  by 
her  bedside  for  nearly  two  weeks,  watching  the  little  dear  one  in  her 
terrible  struggle  for  life. 

We  had  at  length  reached  a  point  where  the  fever  was  over,  and 
we  had  hopes  of  her  recovery,  when  the  diphtheria  set  in,  and  we  were 
compelled  to  sit  still  and  see  her  die.  We  buried  her  on  the  third  day 
of  December,  at  the  very  hour  she  would  have  reached  the  end  of  her 
fifth  month  of  her  fourth  year. 

I  have  no  words  to  tell  you  how  dreary  and  desolate  the  world  is 
since  the  light  of  her  little  life  has  gone  out.  It  seems  as  if  the  fabric 
of  my  life  were  torn  to  atoms  and  scattered  to  the  winds.  I  try  to  be 
cheerful,  and  look  up  through  the  darkness  and  see  the  face  of  our 
Father  looking  upon  me  in  love,  but  it  is  very,  very  hard.  I  will  try 
to  be  cheerful. 

"  Yet  in  these  ears  till  hearing  dies 

One  set,  slow  bell  will  seem  to  toll 

The  passing  of  the  sweetest  soul 
That  ever  looked  with  human  eyes." 

You  must  pardon  me,  dear  Corydon,  if  I  seem  almost  dead  to  life 
and  all  that  belongs  to   it. 

My  bereavement  made  me  still  more  want  to  go  back  to  the  army, 
but  the  President  did  not  think  it  safe  to  risk  a  vote,  and  so  I  resigned 
the  Major  Generalship  and  took  my  seat. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  345 

You  have  seen  how  triumphantly  we  elected  your  friend  Colfax.  I 
talked  with  him  of  you,  and  he  spoke  of  you  in  high  terms. 

I  wish  I  knewipf  some  way  in  which  I  could  assist  you  to  a  posi- 
tion which  would  put  you  into  better  opportunities  for  work  and  use- 
fulness. Tell  me  if  you  find  any  place  where  I  can  be  of  service 
to  you. 

Give  my  love  to  Mary.  I  wish  she  would  write  to  poor  Crete,  and 
I  wish  you  would,  too.  You  must  forgive  this  hurried  note,  for  I  have 
a  great  crush  of  work  upon  me  just  now. 

With  much  love,  I  am,  as  ever, 

Your  own,  James. 

The  year  1863  had  seen  many  desperate  battles  be- 
tween the  armies  of  the  Union  and  their  misguided 
enemies.  Great  victories  had  been  achieved,  and  it  did 
not  seem  possible  that  the  awful  struggle  could  be 
much  longer  prolonged.  The  Mississippi  was  free  from 
its  source  to  its  mouth  ;  all  of  Kentucky  and  nearly  all  of 
Tennessee  were  held  by  our  armies  ;  and  best  of  all,  in- 
competent Generals  were  being  relieved  and  abler  men 
placed  in  command.  Rosecrans  was  ordered  to  turn 
over  his  army  to  Gen.  Grant,  whose  transcendent  abili- 
ties were  beginning  to  be  recognized,  and  before  the 
•close  of  the  year  the  preliminary  steps  were  being  taken 
to  place  him  in  supreme  command  of  all  the  armies  of 
the  Union. 

But  the  burdens  of  the  war  had  grown  heavier  with 
•each  passing  month.  Vast  armies  were  in  the  field  and 
the  expenses  of  the  Government  were  enormous.  The 
•currency  was  depreciated,  and  the  prices  of  all  things 
were  daily  rising.  The  white  paper  on  which  I  printed 
my  little  newspaper  was  two  and  a  half  times  as  high 
as  in  1861.  The  internal  revenue  laws  placed  taxts  be- 
fore unknown  upon  every  branch  of  business.  Stamps 
must  be  placed  upon  every  legal  paper,  and  all  incomes 
exceeding  $600  were  taxed.      Each  congressional  dis- 


346  REMINISCENCES    OF 

trict  had  its  Assessor  and   Collector,  and  each  had  a 
deputy  in  every  county. 

But  far  worse  than  all  else,  almost  every  home  was  in 
mourning  for  some  costly  sacrifice  laid  upon  the  na- 
tion's altar.  The  land  was  filled  with  widows  and  or- 
phans, and  sorrow  and  mourning  brooded  over  every 
neighborhood.  And  yet,  despite  the  sufferings  of  the 
year,  the  annual  thanksgiving  was  heartily  observed. 
The  causes  for  thankfulness  were  summed  up  for  the 
readers  of  the  Chronicle  as  follows : 

The  noble  band  of  Pilgrims,  who  for  the  sake  of  civil  and  religious 
liberty  exiled  themselves  from  their  homes  to  the  wild  forests  of  North 
America  were  the  men  who  originated  the  custom  of  devoting  a  day  an- 
nually to  the  especial  purpose  of  thanksgiving  and  praise  to  Almighty 
God  for  the  blessings  of  the  past  year.  The  men  who  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  American  liberty,  the  immortal  heroes  who  braved  the  perils  of 
the  stormy  sea,  and  in  the  bleak  December  of  1620  landed  on  a  frozen 
rock  at  Plymouth,  were  the  men  who  put  their  trust  in  God,  and  taught 
their  children  in  each  returning  autumn,  when  the  harvest  was  past, 
and  they  had  garnered  the  bountiful  gifts  of  earth  ;  when  the  golden 
corn  was  gathered  and  the  luscious  fruits  were  safely  stored  from  the 
hungry  teeth  of  the  ice-king  ;  when  the  bleak  winds  told  of  approach- 
ing winter  and  the  cheerful  fire  blazed  on  the  hearth,  to  acknowledge 
their  dependence  upon  Jehovah,  and  to  gather  around  their  altars  in  de- 
vout thanksgiving  for  His  countless  blessings,  and  humbly  supplicate  a 
continuance  of  His  favors. 

In  accordance  with  this  time-honored  custom,  the  American  people 
are  called  upon  to-day  to  unite  in  devout  thanksgiving  for  the  blessings 
God  has  vouchsafed  them  during  the  past  year.  It  can  not  be  improper 
for  us  to  call  to  mind  some  of  these  blessings  in  order  that  we  may  be 
intelligently  thankful. 

Our  harvest,  if  not  so  bountiful  as  in  some  past  years,  have  been 
sufficiently  plenteous  to  amply  supply  our  wants.  There  is  enough  and 
to  spare  of  both  food  and  raiment,  and  gaunt  famine  must  look  for 
other  fields  in  which  to  find  his  victims. 

No  fearful  pestilence  has  visited  us,  decimating  our  cities  and  de- 
populating our  villages.  There  has  seldom  been  a  year  in  which  health 
has    been    more    generally  enjoyed.      The    thousands    of    our    beloved 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  347 

friends  who  for  the  first  time  saw  and  felt  the  burning  sun  of  June  in  the 
hot  southern  sky  have  escaped  those  fearful  diseases  whose  touch  is 
death!  No  yellow  fever  has  rioted  in  our  crowded  hospitals;  no  chol. 
era  has  made  havoc  in  our  noble  armies! 

While  the  flames  of  war  have  lit  up  the  Southern  sky,  and  men  and 
women  "  have  gathered  round  their  blazing  homes,"  we  have  not  so 
terribly  felt  its  ravages.  True,  alas!  we  mourn  for  brothers  slain,  and 
with  blinding  tears  and  choking  sighs  we  have  followed  some  to  the 
soldier's  grave,  while  for  others  we  weep  that  we  have  been  denied  the 
poor  boon  of  caring  for  the  crumbling  tenement  from  which  the  spirit 
had  fled,  and  may  not  even  know  that  their  bones  are  decently  con- 
signed to  a  resting-place  in  the 'bosom  of  the  earth. 

But  we  owe  our  thanks  to  the  God  of  Sabb&oth  for  the  great  and 
signal  victories  he  has  given  to  our  armies.  The  world  has  seldom 
seen  such  victories  as  have  been  achieved  by  our  gallant  soldiers.  With 
a  devotion  unequalled  in  history,  these  noble  men  had  forsaken  home, 
with  all  its  endearments,  to  peril  everything  in  defense  of  the  country 
which  a  benevolent  God  had  given  them.  Not  for  military  fame — not 
for  the  laurel  wreath  which  beauty  weaves  for  the  victor's  brow — not  at 
the  beck  of  some  godless  leader,  the  blind  devotion  of  mad  ambition, 
did  these  men  forsake  the  peaceful  walks  of  life  to  learn  the  fearful 
trade  of  war  !  It  was  only  when  the  country  which  had  nurtured  and 
cherished  them  felt  the  bony  hand  of  the  assassin  at  her  throat,  and 
cried  in  agony  to  her  loyal  sons  for  help,  that  they  left  ihe  plow  and 
the  workshop,  and  with  a  patriotism  worthy  of  Cincinnatus,  hastened 
to  defend  their  native  land  from  the  ruffian  traitors  who  had  assailed 
it.  And  nobly  have  they  performed  their  work.  Shiloh,  Donelson, 
Prairie  Grove,  Murfreesboro,  Gettysburg,  Chickamauga,  and  a  score  of 
other  fields — where  the  immortal  flag  under  which  cur  fathers  hum- 
bled the  haughty  pride  of  Britain,  though  torn  by  shot  and  shell,  and 
soiled  by  the  battle's  sulphurous  smoke,  when  the  thunders  of  the  con- 
flict were  hushed,  still  waved  in  triumph,  the  nation's  pride  and  hope — 
attest  their  valor  to  a  land  that  will  never  forget  the  deeds  of  glory 
they  have  performed. 

Their  work  is  almost  accomplished.  The  waning  of  the  hopes  of 
the  ambitious  chieftains  who  plunged  the  nation  into  war  that  they 
might  secure  their  own  aggrandizement  becomes  every  day  more-  evi- 
dent. No  hope  now  of  foreign  intervention.  No  hope  now  of  a  divided 
North.  They  realize  that  until  the  rebellion  is  crushed  the  business  of 
the  United  States  is  war  that  her  people  have  so  decided  with  a  voice 
so  overwhelming    that  the   cowardly    traitor  who   "waits  and   watches 


348  REMINISCENCES    OF 

over  the  border"  no  longer  listens  to  the  eternal  roar  of  Niagara,  but 
stops  his  ears  to  shut  out  a  sound  more  terrible,  which  tells  him  and  his 
treacherous  allies  that  his  native  land  has  disowned  him.  The  end  is 
drawing  nigh. 

Last,  though  not  least,  the  withering,  blighting  curse  which  has 
been  the  cloud  in  our  horizon  for  a  century  ;  the  giant  wrong  which  has 
sapped  the  foundations  of  the  Republic  and  infused  its  poisonous  venom 
through  every  stratum  of  society  ;  the  dark  spot  at  which  the  good  of 
all  nations  have  pointed  when  we  spoke  of  ours  as  a  land  of  liberty ; 
the  infernal,  cowardly  system  of  Slavery  has  received  a  mortal  wound. 
The  nation  has  set  itself  right,  and  henceforth  our  actions  will  not  give 
the  lie  to  our  professions ;  we  shall  no  longer  be  the  by-word  of  a  mock- 
ing world  !  Our  land  will  be  indeed  the  asylum  for  the  oppressed ;  our 
cities  will  not  be  disgraced  by  the  infernal  traffic  in  the  souls  and  bodies 
of  men.  For  the  progress  of  the  cause  of  freedom  every  believer 
should  thank  God  !  Te  Deums  should  be  chanted  in  every  temple  ded- 
icated to  the  service  of  the  Most  High. 

Let  one  universal  song  of  glad  rejoicing,  one  pealing  anthem  of 
praise,  this  day  roll  from  sea  to  sea,  and  the  whispering  winds  bear  it 
up  from  earth  to  heaven,  and  the  angel  bands  who  sang  on  the  plains 
of  Bethlehem  at  the  Redeemer's  birth  will  catch  the  exultant  notes, 
and  all  the  glorious  company  of  the  redeemed  from  every  nation,  tribe 
and  tongue  will  join  their  rapturous  voices  in  celebration  of  another 
mighty  step  that  men  have  taken  in  the  path  that  leads  them  up  from 
the  valley  of  death  to  the  radiant  home  of  God ! 

It  is  a  matter  of  astonishment  at  this  day,  when 
more  than  a  score  of  peaceful  years  have  elapsed  since 
slavery  was  overthrown,  that  so  many  were  willing  only 
a  quarter  of  a  century  ago  to  defend  an  institution 
which  the  enlightened  judgment  of  the  age  has  pro- 
nounced the  crowning  infamy  of  modern  times.  But 
it  is  a  sad  fact  that  in  i860  there  were  multitudes  of 
men  and  women  in  the  North  who  had  no  personal  in- 
terest in  the  slave  system,  and  yet  were  apologists  for  its 
inhuman  atrocities  and  defenders  of  its  unspeakable 
horrors.  And  it  is  unquestionably  true  that  such  per- 
sons,   almost   without   exception,    sympathized   wholly 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  349 

with  those  who  were  in  rebellion  against  the  Govern- 
ment, and  earnestly  desired  their  success.  The  fact  of 
their  sympathy  was  well  known  to  the  insurgent  lea- 
ders, and  stimulated  by  the  hope  of  assistance  from 
these  friends,  the  contest  was  protracted  many  months 
after  success  was  hopeless,  unless  through  such  assist- 
ance. 

Thus  the  people  of  almost  every  neighborhood  in 
the  free  States  were  divided  into  two  parties,  between 
whom  there  often  was  no  sympathy,  and  not  infre- 
quently ill-concealed  hatred.  The  family  who  had  sent 
an  indolized  son  into  the  Union  army  could  not  be 
friendly  with  those  who  hailed  a  rebel  victory  with 
pleasure.  The  mother  who  mourned  over  the  coffin  of 
her  boy  who  had  died  for  his  country  did  not  pretend 
to  love  those  who  said  he  had  met  his  just  deserts,  and 
the  widow  whose  husband  lay  in  the  bloody  shroud  in 
a  soldier's  grave  neither  felt  nor  pretended  to  feel  any 
affection  for  the  brute  who,  like  the  Auditor  of  Mar- 
shall county,  Indiana,  gave  an  order  for  $5  to  aid  her 
in  feeding  her  fatherless  children,  heading  it,  "War 
Pauper  Expense,"  and  writing  in  the  same,  "Charge 
this  damned  abolition  war." 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

NEW  YEAR'S,  1864. DRAFT  LAW. HOW  MR.  GARFIELD 

PREPARED  THE  ACT. CAMPAIGN  OF  1 864. 

[From  the  Rochester  Chronicle,  Dec.  31,  1863.] 

THE  OLD  AND  THE  NEW  YEAR. 

With  the  present  number  of  the  Chronicle  we  close  the  labors  of 
1863,  and  at  such  a  time  it  seems  not  unfit  that  we  should  look  back 
upon  the  departed  year,  and  from  its  varied  events  seek  to  gather  wis- 
dom for  the  future. 

Wben  the  fierce  passions  and  excitements  of  the  present  have 
passed  away,  and,  after  the  lapse  of  years,  the  philosophic  historian 
shall  gather  up  the  events  of  1863  and  weave  them  into  the  web  of 
history,  he  will  find  no  lack  of  materials  to  render  his  story  one  of  ab- 
sorbing interest.  In  all  ages  the  page  of  history  has  been  a  continued 
record  of  blood  and  strife.  Not  an  age  has  elapsed  since  the  primal 
pair  were  driven  from  the  peaceful  bowers  of  Paradise,  that  has  not 
been  the  scene  of  conflict ;  green  fields  have  been  wet  with  the  warm 
life-blood  of  brave  hearts,  and  the  mission  of  man  has  almost  seemed 
to  be  the  destruction  of  his  fellow  man. 

The  fierce  and  unnatural  ambition  of  godless  men  has  cost  the 
blood  of  thousands.  Philip  of  Macedon  asked  not  how  many  brave 
men's  lives  must  be  the  price  of  the  enlargement  of  the  boundaries  of 
his  kingdom,  and  his  ambitious  son,  the  mighty  Alexander,  had  even 
less  scruples  than  his  royal  father.  The  Csesars  reckoned  not  the  heca- 
tombs of  dead  that  must  pave  their  pathway  to  universal  empire. 
Later  down  the  stream  of  time,  when  the  ambitious  Corsican  num- 
bered kings  as  his  subjects,  he  asked  not  whose  rights  must  be  trampled 
under  his  iron  heel,  in  order  that  he  might  sway  the  scepter  over 
conquered   nations. 

War  has  always  been  the  same  never-ending  contest  between  insa- 
tiate, grasping  ambition  on  the  one  hand,  and  liberty,  often  crushed 
and  bleeding,  on  the  other;  and,  alas!  too  often  the  wrong  has  been 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  35  I 

triumphant.  In  the  light  of  Christian  civilization,  we  are  compelled 
to  look  upon  all  war  as  cruel,  and  to  decide  that  nothing  can  ever  jus- 
tify an  appeal  to  the  sword,  except  the  most  imperative  necessity;  and 
we  do  well  to  think  of  the  verdict  of  a  coming  age  upon  the  mighty 
conflict  in  which  we  are  now  engaged. 

For  our  own  part,  we  are  firm  in  the  belief  that  the  North  is  en- 
gaged in  a  righteous  contest,  upon  which  the  devout  Christian  may  ask 
the  blessing  of  that  God  who  sustained  our  fathers  in  their  efforts 
to  rescue  the  land  they  loved  from  the  tyranny  of  Britain.  We  are 
fighting  for  National  existence,  and  to  preserve  the  best  heritage  that 
God  ever  gave  to  any  people,  from  the  vandal  hand  of  the  man-stealer, 
and  if  such  a  war  be  not  right,  then  war  is  never  right. 

Success  is  not  always  a  proof  of  the  justice  of  a  cause.  Poland 
was  dismembered  and  destroyed,  and  acts  of  cruelty  perpetrated  upon 
her  noble  sons,  which  the  world  has  long  since  condemned,  though  she 
still  groans  under  Russian  and  Austrian  despotism.  Hungary,  too,  has 
lost  her  place  among  nations,  and  Spain  crushed  the  brave  Moors  and 
placed  her  victorious  banners  upon  the  dismantled  turrets  of  Granada, 
while  the  verdict  of  history,  from  which  there  is  no  appeal,  is  against 
the  conquerors. 

In  our  cause,  also,  success  will  not  be  conclusive  as  to  its  justice, 
and  we  will  calmly  and  trustfully  leave  the  decision  of  that  question  to 
the  impartial  judgment  of  a  coming  age.  But  that  we  shall  be  success- 
ful, no  longer  admits  of  a  doubt.  The  last  fear  was  quelled  when  glo- 
rious Ohio  sent  her  withering  condemnation  to  the  treacherous  villain 
who  sought  to  make  her  the  ally  of  Davis  and  his  fellow-conspirators. 
The  hour  is  certainly  approaching  when  the  "  banner  of  beauty  and 
glory  "  will  wave  triumphantly  over  all  the  territory  of  the  old  Union. 
This  is  conceded,  even  by  the  rebels  themselves,  as  well  as  the  more 
intelligent  among  those  in  the  North  who  affect  to  believe  the  war 
nothing  more  than  "  a  huge  John  Brown  raid  to  liberate  slaves." 

Any  man  of  intelligence  must  see  that  another  year  of  such  success 
as  the  past  year  has  given  us  will  place  the  so-called  Confederacy 
wholly  at  our  mercy.  We  have  not  time  to  enumerate  the  victories  of 
the  past  year,  nor  is  it  necessary.  The  man  who  does  not  know  of 
them,  and  whose  heart  does  not  beat  with  honest  pride  at  the  daring 
deeds  of  our  brave  soldiers,  is  not  fit  to  have  a  country ;  he  ought  to  be 
transported  to  some  lost  shore  which  no  mortal  footsteps  have  ever 
trod,  and  left  in  eternal  solitude. 

We  commence  the  new  year  under  the  most  favorable  circum- 
stances.    Plenty  smiles  upon  us,  and  we  rejoice  in  our  own  strength, 


352  REMINISCENCES    OF 

and  well  may  we  rejoice.  Even  in  the  midst  of  our  gigantic  struggle,, 
with  a  million  men  in  the  field,  and  another  million  ready  to  go  rather 
than  see  the  nation  dishonored,  we  have  food  enough  and  to  spare.  Our 
people  are  well  clothed,  and  want  is  unknown.  Produce  of  every  de- 
scription brings  a  remunerative  price ;  labor  is  in  brisk  demand,  and 
the  stranger  would  little  dream,  as  he  mingled  among  our  people, 
either  in  the  busy  streets  or  in  our  public  gatherings,  that  we  were  en- 
gaged in  a  war  of  gigantic  proportions,  and  had  armies  in  the  field 
beside  which  those  of  Napoleon  at  Jena,  Austerlitz  and  Waterloo  were 
insignificant  in  numbers  and  equipment. 

The  coming  year  can  scarcely  fail  to  see  the  close  of  the  war.  The 
National  authority  will  be  reestablished,  and  we  shall  begin  to  repair 
the  losses  occasioned  by  the  struggle  which  has  taxed  our  energies  for 
the  last  two  and  a  half  years.  Slavery,  the  accursed  root  from  whence 
treason  sprang,  will  be  torn  from  the  soil  which  it  has  polluted,  and  no 
more  will  it  curse  us  with  its  bitter  fruits.  The  South,  redeemed  from 
its  despotic  and  iniquitous  system  of  labor,  will  commence  a  career  of 
prosperity  unknown  in  the  past ;  its  resources  will  be  developed  by  the 
magic  touch  of  intelligent  labor,  and  justice  will  triumph  over  wrong  ; 
freedom  over  tyranny.  ■  Then  let  every  patriot  look  hopefully  upon  the 
coming  year,  realizing  that  every  sacrifice  will  have  its  reward,  and 
with  steadfast  and  unwavering  confidence  in  God,  press  onward  in  the 
path  of  duty.     To  all  we  heartily  wish  a  Happy  New  Year. 

A  source  of  much  perplexity,  to  which  I  was  sub- 
jected in  the  publication  of  my  paper,  was  the  enlist- 
ment of  nearly  every  one  of  my  employes.  One  man, 
Mr.  Theodore  P.  Reid,  remained  with  me  about  three 
years,  but  nearly  every  other  man  and  boy  became  a 
soldier.  In  sheer  desperation  I  at  last  engaged  a  young 
man  who  was  bitterly  opposed  to  the  war,  and  all  or 
nearly  all  whose  relatives  were  copperheads,  supposing 
I  would  be  safe,  as  far  as  he  was  concerned,  but  before 
three  months  he  enlisted.  My  only  alternative  was  the 
employment  of  girls,  and  finally  Mrs.  Fuller  learned  to 
set  type,  so  that  in  any  emergency  she  could  come  to 
our  assistance. 

I   have   omitted   to   mention  the  fact  that  when  the 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  353 

internal  revenue  law  went  into  effect  I  was  appointed 
Assistant  Assessor  for  the  Eleventh  Division  of  the 
Ninth  Collection  District  of  Indiana.  Hon.  David 
Turner,  of  Crown  Point,  was  the  Assessor,  and  the 
Government  never  had  a  more  conscientious  and 
efficient  officer.  As  the  law  was  new,  and  many  of  its 
provisions  crude,  there  was  at  first  some  difficulty  in 
its  administration  ;  scarcely  a  man  living  had  ever  paid 
a  dollar  of  direct  tax  to  the  United  States  Government, 
and  those  who  were  not  in  sympathy  with  the  war 
made  vigorous  protests  against  its  enforcement.  Not 
a  few  designing  demagogues  purposely  misrepresented 
its  provisions,  in  order  to  intensify  the  prejudice  of 
their  partisan  friends  against  it.  A  few  absolutely  re- 
fused to  comply  with  the  law,  and  in  one  case,  after 
exhausting  all  my  powers  of  persuasion,  as  well  as  ex- 
plaining the  consequences  of  refusal,  and  the  only  re- 
sult being  threats  of  personal  violence,  I  reported  the 
case  to  the  United  States  District  Attorney.  The 
valiant  rebel  against  National  law  was  summoned  to  In- 
dianapolis and  fined  three  times  the  amount  of  the  tax 
demanded,  and  when  he  returned  he  still  had  to  pay 
the  tax,  which  he  did  not  very  cheerfully,  but  with  few 
open  manifestations  of  his  unwillingness.  I  had  no 
further  difficulty,  except  with  whisky  sellers,  whom  I 
have  never  known  to  comply  with  any  law  which  they 
supposed  it  at  all  practicable  to  evade  or  defy.  One 
man  paid  a  fine  of  $60  for  selling  a  drink  out, of  a 
jug,  and  another  $200  for  the  illegal  sale  of  a  keg  of 
beer. 

On  the   13th  of  February  I  received  the  following 
letter : 


354  REMINISCENCES    OF 

House  of  Representatives,  \ 
Washington,  D.  C,  Feb.  9,  1864.      / 

My  Dear  Corydon : — Yours  of  the  31st  came  duly  to  hand.  I 
should  be  glad  to  be  as  prompt  and  punctual  as  in  other  days  in  an- 
swering your  letters,  but  the  crush  of  work  in  which  I  constantly  find 
myself  involved  will  not  give  me  a  solid  moment  that  I  can  call 
my  own.  I  grow  weary,  very  weary,  at  the  prospect  of  a  life  spent  as 
I  have  been  spending  mine  for  the  past  five  or  six  years.  I  have  lived 
at  home  less  than  one  year  in  the  last  three  and  a  half,  and  it  seems 
now  as  if  my  future  gave  no  promise  of  home  and  rest  this  side  the 
grave.  1  can  not  tell  you  how  much  I  long  to  be  once  more  lree,  and 
feel  that  a  few  days  are  my  own  to  give  to  my  own  heart  and  to 
friendship  ;  but  it  does  not  now  look  as  though  that  time  would  ever 
come.  The  revolutionary  times  in  which  we  are  living  will  probably 
keep  the  whole  of  your  life  and  mine  in  a  whirl. 

Your  suggestions  in  reference  to  the  excise  law  seem  to  be  good 
and  just.  I  will  try  to  get  them  before  the  committte  on  that  subject. 
There  are  no  copies  of  Boutwell's  book  now  left  for  distribution,  but  I 
may  be  able  to  find  some  of  the  old  members  who  have  a  spare  copy. 
If  so,  I  will  send  it  to  you. 

Give  my  love  to  Mary,  and  do  excuse  hasty  and  unworthy  letters. 
I  have  sent  you  a  copy  of  my  speech  on  Confiscation-. 

Ever  your  brother, 

J.  A.  Garfield. 

The  act  of  Congress  under  which  the  draft  was 
made  in  1863  was  found  to  be  very  defective  in  many- 
particulars,  and  failed  to  furnish  the  needed  reinforce- 
ments to  our  decimated  armies.  The  time  had  come 
when  men  realized  more  vividly  than  in  1861  that  en- 
listment in  the  army  was  a  very  serious  matter.  Those 
who  went  forth  gaily,  with  the  inspiring  music  of  fife 
and  drum,  bearing  silken  banners  presented  by  fair 
hands,  came  not  back,  unless  maimed  and  broken  in 
health,  or  in  their  coffins ;  and,  alas !  many  would 
come  back  no  more.  Discontent  had  been  the 
natural  consequence  of  the  wild  harangues  of  those 
who   hoped  for  the  success  of  the  rebel  armies,  and 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  355 

in  many  parts  of  the  country  enlistments  had  almost 
ceased. 

Mr.  Garfield  had  been  placed  on  the  Committee  on 
Military  Affairs,  and,  as  a  sub-committee,  the  duty  was 
assigned  to  him  to  draft  a  bill  under  which  the  armies 
might  be  again  replenished.  He  entered  at  once  upon 
this  duty,  and  for  six  weeks  he  spent  every  available 
hour,  working  far  into  the  night,  in  reading  how  armies 
had  been  raised  in  the  past.  He  began  with  the  ancient 
legions  of  Rome,  under  the  Csesars ;  he  studied  the 
methods  of  every  nation  in  Europe  which  has  raised 
great  armies,  giving  especial  attention  to  the  plans  of 
the  great  Napoleon,  as  well  as  those  of  Germany  and 
France  in  more  modern  days.  Thus  prepared,  he 
drafted  the  bill  which,  almost  without  amendment,  was 
passed  by  Congress,  and  under  which  subsequent  drafts 
were  made. 

It  was  always  characteristic  of  Mr.  Garfield  to  be  as 
thorough  as  possible  in  all  he  undertook.  He  was  never 
satisfied  to  half  understand  any  subject,  and  it  was  very 
seldom  that  any  question  came  up  in  Congress  to  which 
he  did  not  give  the  most  careful  and  painstaking  atten- 
tion. Further  than  this,  while  he  had  no  superstitious 
veneration  for  precedent,  he  always  desired  to  know 
the  opinions  and  sentiments  of  those  reputed  wise  in 
the  past,  upon  any  question  upon  which  they  had  been 
called  to  act.  Thus  he  was  a  great  reader  and  a  con- 
stant student.  While  he  might  not  adopt  their  senti- 
ments, he  had  great  respect  for  the  illustrious  men  of 
other  days,  and  never  supposed  that  all  the  wisdom  of 
all  the  ages  was  the  discovery  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

As  the  season  advanced,  the  Presidential  election 
which  was  to  occur  in  the  following:  November  began 


356  REMINISCENCES    OF 

to  fill  the  public  mind.  The  war  had  now  lasted  more 
than  three  years,  and,  while  the  majority  of  people 
were  still  confident  of  victory,  and  had  no  thought  of 
asking  or  accepting  peace  on  any  other  terms  than  a 
complete  restoration  of  the  Union,  there  was  a  power- 
ful minority  who  were  ready  and  anxious  to  purchase 
peace  at  any  price,  and  very  many  of  them  would  un- 
doubtedly have  preferred  the  complete  success  of  the 
rebels  and  the  establishment  of  their  so-called  Confed- 
eracy. The  expenses  of  the  war  had  become  so  enor- 
mous that  many  believed  the  nation  could  never  recover 
from  the  load  of  debt  which  was  being  contracted.  At 
that  time  the  philosophers  who  have  since  taught  that 
when  the  Quartermaster  bought  a  horse  and  gave  Uncle 
Sam's  due-bill  in  settlement,  the  horse  was  paid  for,  and 
no  debt  incurred,  had  not  made  their  appearance.  The 
simple-minded  people  of  that  day  supposed  that  the 
promise  of  the  Government  to  pay  any  number  of  dol- 
lars, whether  the  promise  was  printed  on  green  paper 
or  paper  of  any  other  color,  constituted  a  debt  until 
such  promise  was  fully  redeemed ;  they  did  not  know 
that  it  was  merely  a  promise  in  a  Pickwickian  sense, 
which  could  be  kept  by  merely  making  another  promise. 
In  the  paper  money  of  the  Government,  a  gold  dollar 
was  worth  $2.75,  and  all  the  necessaries  of  life  were 
valued  in  proportion.  Cotton  goods,  especially,  were 
held  at  enormous  prices  ;  a  fair  article  of  unbleached 
muslin  sold  at  about  sixty  cents  per  yard.  As  all  for- 
eign goods  had  to  be  paid  for  in  gold,  it  will  readily  be 
seen  that  they  must  be  sold  at  very  high  prices  in  cur- 
rency. For  many  years  not  a  single  dollar  in  either 
gold   or  silver  was   to   be  found   outside  of  the  great 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  357 

cities,  and  there  such  dollars  were  articles  of  merchan- 
dise as  much  as  iron  or  coal. 

The  Republican  National  Convention  met  at  Balti- 
more, in  June,  and  nominated  Mr.  Lincoln  for  reelec- 
tion, adopting  a  platform  pledging  the  party  to  a  vig- 
orous prosecution  of  the  war  until  the  rebellion  should 
be  subdued  ;  demanding  the  radical  and  complete  ex- 
tirpation of  slavery  from  every  foot  of  American  soil, 
and  indorsing  unreservedly  the  administration  of  Mr. 
Lincoln. 

The  Democratic  Convention  was  not  held  until  late 
in  August,  when  Gen.  McClellan  was  placed  in  nomina. 
tion  for  President,  and  a  platform  adopted  declaring  the 
war  a  failure ;  condemning  in  unqualified  terms  most  of 
the  acts  of  President  Lincoln  and  those  in  sympathy 
with  him,  and  demanding  an  immediate  cessation  of 
hostilities. 

As  Gen.  McClellan  had  not  been  conspicuous  for 
"his  success  in  injuring  the  rebel  cause,  and  was  accused 
by  not  a  few  of  not  being  in  favor  of  the  overwhelming 
defeat  of  those  who  had  been  his  friends,  hoping  for  a 
compromise  by  which  slavery  might  be  saved,  his  nom- 
ination was  recognized  as  a  fit  one  on  a  peace  platform. 
It  has  always  been  claimed  that  Vallandigham  was  the 
author  of  the  cowardly  and  treacherous  declaration  of 
principles,  or  want  of  principles,  and  whether  this  be 
true  or  not,  it  was  in  entire  harmony  with  his  expres- 
sions. 

On  the  30th  of  June  our  district  had  renominated 
Schuyler  Colfax,  by  acclamation,  and  all  his  friends 
were,  of  course,  enthusiastically  in  favor  of  a  vigorous 
prosecution  of  the  war.  Gen.  Grant  was  day  by  day 
strengthening  his  powerful  grip  upon  the  throat  of  his 


358 


REMINISCENCES    OF 


adversary ;  there  remained  only  one  hope  for  the  rebels, 
and  that  was  in  the  success  of  those  in  the  North  who 
sought  the  defeat  of  Mr.  Lincoln. 

I  suppose  there  has  never  been  a  more  exciting 
political  conflict  on  this  continent  than  that  of  1864. 
The  Union  men  believed  that  the  very  life  of  the 
nation  depended  on  the  result;  that  the  defeat  of  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  would  insure  the  acknowledgment  of  the 
independence  of  the  Confederate  States  by  every  nation 
in  Europe,  and  an  alliance  with  several  of  them.  The 
blockade  would  be  at  once  raised,  and  foreign  arms  and 
munitions  of  war  would  be  freely  furnished  in  exchange 
for  cotton,  so  badly  needed  by  the  great  manufactories 
of  England  and  France.  "  An  immediate  cessation  of 
hostilities  "  would  be  a  public  acknowledgment  of  the 
hopelessness  of  the  restoration  of  the  Union  by  war, 
and  justify  the  interference  of  other  nations  to  end  the 
contest  at  once. 

It  was  well  known  that  the  public  authorities  of  the 
rebel  States  were  in  full  sympathy  with  the  opponents 
of  Mr.  Lincoln,  and  hoped  earnestly  for  their  success  ; 
and  in  all  lands  the  enemies  of  popular  liberty  were  in- 
terested spectators  in  a  contest  which  seemed  to  promise 
the  downfall,  during  its  first  century,  of  the  only  Re- 
public which  they  feared. 

Early  in  the  canvass  I  wrote  to  Mr  Colfax,  urging 
him  to  secure,  if  possible,  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Garfield 
in  his  district,  where  we  knew  the  opposition  would 
show  considerable  strength,  for  the  reason  that  several 
thousand  of  his  friends  were  in  the  Union  army ;  and 
the  proposition  to  allow  the  Indiana  soldiers  to  vote  in 
the  field  had  been  defeated  in  the  Legislature  of  that 
State. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  359 

Mr.  Colfax  promised  me  to  try  to  arrange  it,  and 
the  last  of  August  I  received  the  following  letter : 

South  Bend,  Ind.,  "t 
August  29,  1864.     j 

C.  E.  Fuller,  Esq. — My  Dear  Sir : — I  will  be  at  Rochester 
Thursday,  Sept.  22,  when  Mr.  Wilson  is  to  speak,  without  fail.  Have 
to  change  my  programme  some  to  bring  me  in  that  part  of  the  district 
at  the  time,  but  will  do  so. 

Gen.  Garfield  has  replied  to  my  letter  of  last  month,  that  he  will 
come  after  filling  his  own  appointments  at  home.  I  have  mapped  out 
a  route  for  him  as  follows,  and  so  written  him  (to  avoid  his  leaving 
home  before  a  Sunday)  : 

Peru,  Tuesday,  Sept.  27,  1   p.  m. 
Rochester,  Wednesday,  Sept.  28,  1  P.  M. 
Plymouth,  Thursday,  Sept.  29,  1  P.  M. 
Westville,  Friday,  Sept.  30,  1  p.  m. 
South  Bend,  Saturday,  Oct.  1,  1  P.  M. 

At  Westville  I  am  to  have  a  mass-meeting  that  day  for  La  Porte 
and  Porter  counties. 

I  have  asked  him  to  write  if  this  will  suit.  I  thought  better  to 
have  him  the  next  week  after,  than  to  crowd  Wilson,  himself  and  my- 
self all  up  into  one  meeting.  Yours,  truly, 

Schuyler  Colfax. 

It  was  Hon.  James  Wilson,  of  La  Fayette,  Ind., 
who  is  referred  to  in  the  above  letter. 

I  must  reserve  for  another  chapter  an  account  of 
Mr.  Garfield's  speeches  at  the  dates  above  given. 


CHAPTER   XLII. 

MR.     GARFIELD    VISITS    INDIANA. — HIS    SPEECHES. ELEC- 
TION OF  MR.    LINCOLN. — LETTER  FROM  MR.    COLFAX. 

Hiram,  September  15,  1864. 
My  Dear  Corydon: — Yours  of  August  24th  has  lain  unanswered  for 
some  time  in  consequence  of  my  absence.  I  have  just  got  home— tem- 
porarily broken  down  with  a  cold.  I  find  myself  overwhelmed  with  a 
world  of  work  in  the  way  of  correspondence.  I  have,  therefore,  only 
time  tc  say  that  I  promised  Colfax  that  I  will  speak  for  him  from  the 
27th  inst.  to  October  1st  inclusive,  beginning  at  Peru.  I  hope  to  see 
you  and  have  you  with  me  as  much  as  possible.  Crete  and  Almeda  join 
me  in  love  to  you  and  Mary.     Ever  yours, 

James. 

Of  course  I  lost  no  time  after  receiving  the  letter 
of  Mr.  Colfax,  given  in  the  last  chapter,  and  the  one 
above  from  Gen.  Garfield,  in  advertising  as  thoroughly 
as  possible  his  coming.  The  following  is  the  closing 
part  of  a  column  article  in  the  Chronicle  of  Sept.  22  : 

Gen.  Garfield  is  one  of  the  rising  men  of  the  nation,  and  there  are 
very  few  who  have  fairer  prospects  of  reaching  the  highest  position 
within  the  people's  gift.  We  have  omitted  to  state  that  Mr.  Garfield 
is  a  Christian,  and  is  widely  known  as  a  preacher  of  great  ability  and 
power. 

We  have  written  the  above  imperfect  biographical  sketch  from  the 
standpoint  of  a  friend,  having  for  the  last  thirteen  years  enjoyed  an  in- 
timate personal  acquaintance  ;  and  we  early  learned  to  love  those  noble 
qualities  of  mind  and  heart  which  have  made  him  almost  the  idol  of 
his  constituents.  We  might  say  more  of  the  rare  abilities  of  the  orphan 
boy  who,  thrown  penniless  upon  the  world,  before  attaining  the  age  of 
thirty-two  years  had  won  the  stars  of  a  Major  G-neral  and  a  seat  in  the 

American  Congress,  but  it  is  unnecessary.      He  comes  among  us  to  speak 

360 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  36 1 

in  behalf  of  his  country — the  only  one  on  God's  green  footstool  where 
ft  is  possible  for  talent  to  win  distinction,  and  for  the  poor  boy  without 
influential  friends  to  attain  the  proud  position  he  has  won.  Let  the 
people  turn  out  and  hear  his  burning  words  of  patriotism — a  patriotism 
inspired  by  every  memory  of  the  past,  and  baptized  anew  in  sulphurous 
smoke  and  blinding  flame,  on  a  dozen  battle-fields. 

On  Monday,  Sept.  26,  I  went  to  Peru,  and  found 
that  Gen.  Garfield  had  just  arrived,  and  I  spent  the 
night  with  him  at  the  hospitable  home  of  a  well- 
known  Union  man.  The  forenoon  of  the  next  day,  he 
received  many  calls  ;  among  those  whom  I  noted  in  my 
journel  were  Judge  Bearss,  James  N.  Tyner,  W.  S. 
Benham  and  others.  Mr.  Benham  will  be  remembered 
as  subsequently  editor  of  a  paper  at  Newton,  Iowa, 
and  many  have  not  forgotten  his  tragic  death,  together 
with  his  wife,  by  the  wreck  of  a  steamer  a  few  years 
ago  on  Lake  Michigan. 

At  1  o'clock  p.  m.  a  very  large  audience  had  assem- 
bled to  hear  him,  and  for  more  than  two  hours  he  held 
them  almost  breathless  by  a  speech  of  wonderful 
power.  I  had  expected  a  great  speech,  but  was  more 
than  satisfied.  I  had  not  heard  him  speak  since  his 
graduating  oration  at  Williams  College,  in  August, 
1856,  more  than  eight  years  before.  I  knew  he  was 
acknowledged  to  be  one  of  the  greatest  orators  of  his 
native  State,  and  that  he  had  already  held  the  attention 
of  Congress  in  more  than  one  masterly  address.  The 
Union  men  were  enthusiastic  in  their  praise. 

After  the  speech  we  drove  to  Rochester,  a  distance 
•of  some  twenty-five  miles,  reaching  my  house  at  a  late 
Tiour  that  evening. 

Wednesday,  Sept.  28,  was  a  bright,  beautiful  day. 
There  had  been  rain  the  preceding  evening,  but  the  sun 


362  REMINISCENCES    OF 

came  up  unclouded  and  shone  brilliantly,  and  the  whole 
country  was  astir,  the  people  all  eager  to  near  the 
great  orator  who  was  to  address  them.  The  forenoon 
was  spent  mostly  at  my  office,  and  after  an  early  dinner 
we  repaired  to  the  finely  shaded  public  square,  where  a 
great  multitude  had  already  assembled. 

It  is  usual  for  most  political  speakers  to  prepare 
one  speech  with  great  care  and  then  to  repeat  it  in  the 
different  places  were  they  have  appointments.  Not  so 
with  Mr.  Garfield.  I  had  been  greatly  pleased  with 
his  speech  on  Tuesday,  but  that  on  Wednesday  was 
almost  entirely  new.  He  spoke  with  a  grandeur  and 
power  which  I  have  never  heard  equalled.  At  times, 
tears  dimmed  the  eyes  of  strong  men,  and  it  was  evi- 
dent that  he  held  the  audience  under  a  spell.  There 
were  dozens  of  children  in  the  audience,  and  they  sat 
and  listened  with  breathless  attention,  and  for  days 
afterward  were  heard  repeating  his  arguments  on  the 
great  questions  which  have  divided  parties  and  engaged 
the  profoundest  thought  of  our  statesmen. 

He  gave  particular  attention  to  the  dogma,  then  so 
much  insisted  upon,  that  the  several  States  were  each 
sovereign.      He  defined  sovereignty,  and  then  gave  the 
several  attributes  of  a  sovereign  State,   something  as 
follows  : 

A  sovereign  State  can  declare  war  ;  conclude  peace  ; 
coin  money ;  make  treaties  with  foreign  nations  ;  regu- 
late commerce  ;  put  ships  in  commission  on  the  high 
seas  ;  have  a  flag !  Which  one  of  the  indispensable 
attributes  of  sovereignty  does  any  one  of  the  States  of 
our  Union  possess?  Can  Indiana  declare  war  or  con- 
clude peace?  Can  she  coin  money?  If  she  authorize 
one  of  her  citizens  to  coin  a  half-dollar,  of  pure  silver, 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  363 

and  he  act  under  that  authority,  he  would  be  liable  to 
imprisonment  for  counterfeiting  the  coin  of  the  real 
sovereign.  Can  any  State  regulate  commerce  or  send 
out  ships,  under  her  authority  ?  Any  such  ship  would 
be  suized  as  a  smuggler;  and  no  loyal  State  has  any 
flag  but  "the  banner  of  beauty  and  glory,"  the  flag  of 
the  Union.  While  States  have  their  rights,  yet  no 
State  is  sovereign,  because  it  lacks  the  attributes  which 
alone  constitute  sovereignty. 

He  traced  the  progress  of  our  armies  and  showed 
that  the  end  of  the  gigantic  struggle  was  surely  ap- 
proaching. He  painted  in  colors  of  appalling  truth 
the  brood  of  recreant  men,  craven  in  all  their  instincts 
and  treacherous  in  all  their  aims,  who  called  for  the 
surrender  of  the  armies  of  the  Union  to  those  in  arms 
against  them. 

The  speech  lasted  for  nearly  three  hours,  and  even 
those  who  were  most  bitterly  opposed  to  his  sentiments 
acknowledged  that  he  had  made  the  most  powerful 
speech  they  had  ever  heard  by  one  of  their  opponents, 
while  the  Union  men  were  jubilant,  and  could  not  ex- 
press in  terms  sufficiently  complimentary  their  admira- 
tion of  the  speaker  and  their  appreciation  of  his  speech. 

In  the  evening  a  torch-light  procession  came  to  my 
house  and  escorted  Gen.  Garfield  again  to  the  Court 
House  square,  where  he  made  a  brief  address.  It  had 
been  a  great  day  for  the  Union  men.  So  far  as  I  was 
personally  concerned,  it  was  one  of  the  happiest  days 
of  my  life.  I  was  in  full  and  complete  sympathy  with 
my  illustrious  friend,  aud  I  was  proud  of  the  praise  so 
lavishly  given  him. 

Thursday  morning  was  dark  and  rainy.  But  with 
a  close  carriage,    Mrs.     Fuller,    Gen.     Garfield    and    I 


364  REMINISCENCES    OF 

started  at  8  o'clock  for  Plymouth,  the  county  seat  of 
Marshall  county,  twenty  miles  north  of  Rochester.  At 
Plymouth-  the  sympathizers  with  the  rebellion  were 
greatly  in  the  majority,  and  threats  had  been  freely 
made  that  no  man  should  be  allowed  to  speak  in  favor 
of  the  Union  cause.  The  few  friends  of  the  Govern- 
ment seemed  to  be  frightened,  and  had  made  little  prep- 
aration for  the  meeting.  Gen.  Garfield  did  his  best 
to  raise  their  spirits,  and  made  a  very  fair  speech  to  a 
small  audience ;  but  the  circumstances  and  surround- 
ings were  so  depressing  that  he  could  not  do  himself 
justice.  At  the  close  of  the  meeting  we  bade  him 
goodby,  and  he  left  for  La  Porte,  where  he  had  an  ap- 
pointment for  the  evening,  and  we  started  on  our  return 
home. 

On  Friday  a  great  meeting  was  held  at  Westville, 
which  was  addressed  by  Gen.  Garfield  and  Mr.  Colfax, 
and  on  Saturday  St.  Joseph  county  gathered  almost  en 
masse  at  South  Bend  to  do  honor  to  their  beloved  re- 
presentative, then  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Represen- 
tatives, and  his  honored  and  distinguished  guest.  It 
was  a  day  to  be  long  remembered.  Mr.  Colfax  had 
lived  among  them  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century, 
and  there  was  scarcely  a  man  in  the  county  whom  he 
could  not  call  by  name,  and  who  did  not  regard  him  as 
a  personal  friend.  As  editor  and  publisher  of  the  St. 
Joseph  Valley  Register  for  almost  twenty  years,  he  had 
chronicled  the  birth  of  their  children,  the  marriage  of 
their  sons  and  daughters,  and  written  words  of  ten- 
derest  sympathy  when  they  mourned  beside  the  graves 
of  their  dead.  Genial,  true-hearted,  honest,  generous 
and  patriotic,  he  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  his  consti- 
tuents, and  when  ten  years  later  envious  and  unscrupu- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  365 

lous  politicians  endeavored  to  rob  him  of  his  good 
name,  the  fact  that  his  friends  at  home,  without  distinc- 
tion of  party,  refused  to  believe  that  he  had  bartered 
his  integrity  for  a  pitiful  bribe,  was  the  only  solace  to 
his  wounded  heart. 

On  Sunday,  Oct.  2,  Mr.  Garfield  spoke  in  the  after- 
noon, at  South  Bend,  on  the  duty  of  the  Church 
toward  the  Government  in  this  supreme  hour  of  trial. 
It  was  reported  to  have  been  a  very  able  and  exhaustive 
presentation  of  the  subject. 

The  State  election  came  off  on  the  nth  of  October, 
and  while  our  opponents  were  successful  in  our  own 
county  in  electing  their  candidates,  several  of  whom 
were  notorious  drunkards,  in  the  State  as  well  as  in  the 
Congressional  District  the  "  peace  at  any  price  "  party 
were  overwhelmingly  defeated.  In  Ohio,  seventeen  out 
of  the  nineteen  Congressmen  elected  were  friends  of 
Mr.  Lincoln,  and  in  Pennsylvania  the  triumph  was 
equally  glorious.  We  all  felt  that  the  election  of  Mr. 
Lincoln  was  assured,  and  the  triumph  of  Grant  over 
the  despairing  Confederates  near  at  hand.  At  this 
juncture,  against  the  advice  of  politicians  who  said  it 
would  imperil  his  election,  the  President  issued  a  call 
for  300,000  more  troops.  On  the  8th  of  November 
Mr.  Lincoln  was  re-elected  by  a  vote  which  was  so  deci- 
ded that  the  determination  of  the  people  to  crush  the 
rebellion  and  slavery,  its  cause,  was  manifest  to  all  the 
world. 

I  would  not  be  understood  as  calling  in  question  the 
loyalty  of  all  those  who  called  themselves  Democrats, 
a  great  host  of  whom  were  as  true  to  the  Union  as 
Andrew  Jackson  himself,  when  he  threatened  to  hang 
John  C.    Calhoun,   the  great  nullifier.      Thousands   of 


7,66  REMINISCENCES    OF 

them  went  into  the  army  or  sent  their  sons,  and  in 
every  possible  way  aided  in  saving  the  nation  from  the 
armed  hosts  banded  together  to  accomplish  its  over- 
throw. Their  services  were  doubly  valuable,  for  by 
their  patriotic  example  they  held  in  awe  the  cowardly 
recreants  who  were  false  to  every  trust;  who  loved 
slavery  not  from  any  self-interest,  but  simply  because 
it  was  vile  and  atrocious,  and  therefore  sympathized 
with  those  who  fought  for  its  extension  and  perpetuity. 
Daniel  S.  Dickinson,  of  New  York,  had  been  a 
leader  of  the  Democratic  party,  and  had  been  a  candi- 
date before  its  National  Convention  for  President.  But 
his  love  of  country  was  stronger  than  his  love  of  party, 
and  he  gave  the  whole  weight  of  his  splendid  abilities 
to  the  cause  of  the  Union.  During  the  canvass  of 
1 864,  when  asked  if  he  was  not  for  peace,  he  replied 
in  the  following  spirited  lines : 

For  the  peace  which  rings  out  from  the  cannon's  throat, 

And  the  suasion  of  shot  and  shell, 
Till  rebellion's  spirit  is  trampled  down 

To  the  depths  of  its  kindred  hell. 

For  the  peace  that  shall  follow  the  squadron's  tramp, 

Where  the  brazen  trumpets  bray, 
And,  drunk  with  the  fury  of  storm  and  strife, 

The  blood  red  chargers  neigh. 

For  the  peace  that  sha-11  wash  out  the  leprous  stain 

Of  our  slavery — foul  and  grim — 
And  shall  sunder  the  fetters  which  creak  and  clank 

On  the  down  trodden  black  man's  limb. 

I  will  curse  him  as  traitor,  and  false  of  heart, 
Who  would  shrink  from  the  conflict  now, 

And  will  stamp  it  with  blistering,  burning  brand, 
On  his  hideous,  Cain-like  brow. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  367 

Out!  out  of  the  way!  with  your  spurious  peace, 
Which  would  make  us  rebellion's  slaves ; 

We  will  rescue  our  land  from  the  traitor's  grasp 
Or  cover  it  over  with  graves. 

Out!   out  of  the  way!   with  your  knavish  schemes, 

You  trembling  and  trading  pack ! 
Crouch  away  in  the  back  like  a  sneaking  hound 

That  its  master  has  driven  back. 

You  would  barter  the  fruit  of  our  fathers'  blood, 

And  sell  out  the  Stripes  and  Stars, 
To  purchase  a  place  with  rebellion's  votes, 

Or  escape  from  rebellion's  scars. 

By  the  widow's  wail,  and  the  mother's  tears, 

By  the  orphans  who  cry  for  bread, 
By  our  sons  who  fell,  we  will  never  yield 

Till  rebellion's  soul  is  dead ! 

Any  sentiments  which  I  may  have  expressed  or  re- 
vealed not  complimentary  to  the  enemies  of  the 
National  cause,  living  in  the  loyal  States,  have  no  ref- 
erence to  the  party  affiliations  of  any  man,  but  refer 
solely  to  those  who  in  the  darkest  hour  Columbia  ever 
knew,  or  which  we  pray  God  she  may  ever  know,  gave 
their  influence  to  those  who  madly  sought  to  blot  out 
the  name  of  their  country  from  the  roll  of  nations. 

When  the  contest  of  1864  was  over,  and  the  tri- 
umph of  the  Union  cause  assured,  I  concluded  that  my 
apprenticeship  at  the  newspaper  business  in  the 
village  of  Rochester  had  lasted  about  long  enough,  and 
I  began  to  look  about  for  a  more  inviting  field.  I  had 
published  the  paper  three  and  a  half  years,  and  had 
succeeded  in  accumulating  about  fifteen  hundred  dollars, 
making  a  reasonable  discount  for  the  losses  inevitable 
in  carrying  on  such  business  on  credit.      But  it  would 


368  REMINISCENCES    OF 

require  a  year  at  least  to  collect  my  dues  and  make 
my  little  capital  available,  and  I  determined  to  ask  my 
friends  to  secure  me  a  clerkship  in  one  of  the  depart- 
ments at  Washington,  where  I  supposed  I  would  have 
some  opportunity  of  increasing  my  knowledge  of  politi- 
cal affairs,  and  thus  be  fitted  for  the  newspaper  business, 
which  I  fully  intended  to  return  to  at  an  early  day.  I 
had  some  conversation  with  Mr.  Garfield  as  to  my 
desires  and  plans,  and  had  written  to  Mr.  Colfax  in  ref- 
erence to  the  matter,  and  on  the  9th  of  December  the 
following  letter  reached  me  : 

Washington  City,  December  3,  1864. 
My  Dear  Sir : — As  I  left  home  the  Friday  after  the  Presidential 
election,  have  just  received  your  letter  remailed  here. 

I  think  you  err  in  desiring  to  come  here  as  a  clerk,  for  the  pay, 
$1,200,  will,  at  the  high  rates  of  living  here,  barely  support  you  and 
your  family,  and  promotion  is  very  difficult  and  won  only  by  merit ;  for 
I  have  so  many  favors  to  ask  for  constituents  constantly  that  all  the 
clerks  from  my  district  know  I  can  not  ask  their  promotion  as  a  political 
favor. 

But  I  recognize  how  faithfully  you  have  labored  for  the  cause,  and 
I  intend  to  get  a  clerkship  for  you,  in  preference  to  a  dozen  other  applicants 
from  my  district  pressing  for  appointment.     So  be  ready  to  come. 
Yours  very  hurriedly  but  truly, 

Schuyler  Colfax. 

I  had  not  explained  my  plans  for  the  future  to  Mr. 
Colfax,  and  was  not  therefore  discouraged  by  his  pre- 
liminary words  of  warning  as  to  the  drawbacks  attend- 
ant upon  a  position  as  clerk,  and  so  commenced  im- 
mediate preparatiens  to  close  my  business  at  Rochester. 

About  the  same  time  I  received  the  following  letter 
from  Mr.  Garfield  : 

Hiram,  November  25,  1864. 
My  Dear  Corydon  /—Yours  of  the  13th  came  duly  to  hand.     I  am 
glad  to  inform  you  that  Crete  is  now  convalescent.     She  has  had  a  ter- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  369 

rible  run  of  typhoid  fever,  which  for  some  days  seriously  threatened  her 
life,  and  which  left  her  exceedingly  weak  and  reduced ;  but  she  is  now 
on  her  feet  again  and  rapidly  gaining  strength. 

I  rejoice  with  you  in  the  great  victory,  but  greatly  regret  that  your 
county  is  not  redeemed  from  the  dominion  of  the  enemy.  I  think, 
however,  that  Fulton  county  can  confidently  say  that  if  she  has  not  won 
her  first  victory  she  has  suffered  her  last  defeat.  After  I  left  you  I  fin- 
ished my  appointments  in  Colfax's  district,  and  then  went  to  Ohio.  My 
work  grew  heavier  as  the  campaign  drew  on  to  its  close,  and  I  made 
eighteen  speeches  in  the  last  two  weeks  preceding  the  Presidential  elec- 
tion, and  traveled  nearly  four  thousand  miles.  I  was  thoroughly  ex- 
hausted when  the  end  came,  but  I  am  now  quite  well  again,  and  hope 
to  enter  upon  my  winter's  work  in  good  health. 

I  start  for  Washington  next  week.  I  do  not  think  Crete  will  be 
able  to  go  before  the  holidays,  when  I  intend  to  take  her  with  me. 

In  regard  to  your  own  matters,  I  need  not  assure  you  how  ready 
and  willing  I  am  to  do  all  in  my  power  to  aid  you.  I  will  see  Colfax 
as  soon  as  I  get  to  Washington  and  consult  with  him  on  the  best  way  to 
secure  a  place  for  you.     If  a  place  can  be  got  by  us  two,  it  shall  be. 

Write  me  soon.  Ever  truly  yours,  James. 

On  Friday,  Dec.  16,  1864,  I  received  the  following 
document,  inclosed  in  an  envelope  directed  to  Hon. 
Schuyler  Colfax,  Speaker  House  of  Representatives, 
Washington,  D.  C,  and  by  him  inclosed  in  an  enve- 
lope, bearing  his  frank,  with  a  brief  note  by  him  upon 
the  first  envelope,  and  directed  to  me: 

War  Department, 
Provost    Marshal    General's   Office, 
Washington,  D.  C,  Dec.  10,  1864. 
Corydon  E.  Fuller,  Esq. ,  Rochester,  Indiana  : 

Sir  : — Your  application  for  a  clerkship,  forwarded  by  Hon.  Schuyler 
Colfax,  has  been  favorably  considered. 

You  will  report  to  this  office  at  your  earliest  convenience.     Salary 
$1,200  per  annum! 
I  am,  sir, 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

Theo.  McMurtrie, 

Captain  Vet.  Res.  Corps. 


7o 


REMINISCENCES    OF 


I  could  not  settle  my  affairs  so  as  to  leave  until  Jan. 
12,  and  as  we  stopped  on  the  way,  at  the  old  home  of 
Mrs.  Fuller,  at  Butler,  N.  Y.,  where  she  remained  for 
a  few  weeks,  I  did  not  reach  Washington  until  the 
morning  of  Jan.  21,  1865. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 

I    REMOVE    TO    WASHINGTON. — RECEPTION    AT    THE    WHITE 
HOUSE. ABRAHAM    LINCOLN. FALL    OF    CHARLESTON. 

As  stated  in  the  last  chapter,  I  reached  the  National 
Capital  on  the  21st  of  January,  1865.  At  that  time 
Washington  was  a  city  of  camps  and  hospitals.  The 
magnificent  improvements  which  have  been  made  dur- 
ing the  last  twenty  years  were  not  then  dreamed  of. 
Under  the  enervating  influence  of  its  slaveholding 
citizens,  for  more  than  a  half  a  century  it  had  re- 
mained an  overgrown  village,  with  few  of  the  conven- 
iences of  modern  civilization.  But  the  war  had  greatly 
stimulated  its  growth,  and,  with  the  release  from  the 
incubus  of  slavery,  had  made  progress  possible. 

I  called  on  Mr.  Garfield,  at  his  rooms,  at  452 
Thirteenth  street,  and  he  accompanied  me  to  the  Post- 
office,  where  I  found  Mr.  Stailey,  my  predecessor  in 
the  newspaper  at  Rochester,  who  was  a  clerk  in  the 
dead-letter  office,  with  whom  I  arranged  for  board  for 
a  few  weeks.  The  next  day  was  Sunday,  and  I  heard 
the  Chaplain  of  the  House,  Rev.  Wm.  H.  Charming, 
preach  in  the  hall  of  Representatives,  and  after  dinner 
again  called  on  Mr.  Garfield  and  had  a  very  pleasant 
visit. 

On  Monday,  January  23,  1865,  I  entered  upon  my 
duties  as  a  clerk  in  the  office  of  the  Provost   Marshal 

General,  J.  B.  Fry,  having  been  furnished  with  a  let- 

371 


372  REMINISCENCES   OF 

ter  of  introduction  from  Speaker  Colfax,  whom  I  had 
called  upon  in  the  morning.  My  duties  in  the  office 
were  "briefing  letters."  Letters  received  by  the 
departments  at  Washington,  no  matter  how  unim- 
portant, are  not  only  filed  and  preserved,  but  a  synop- 
sis of  their  contents  is  prepared  and  recorded,  with 
every  proper  name  carefully  indexed.  While  we  were 
required  to  be  at  our  desks  from  9  o'clock  a.  m.  to  4 
o'clock  p.  m.  the  work  was  usually  light. 

On  Tuesday  afternoon,  Jan.  24,  the  Smithsonian 
Institute  was  very  seriously  damaged  by  fire. 

The  office  of  the  Provost  Marshal  General  was  in 
the  old  War  Department  building,  a  short  distance 
from  the  President's  house  ;  the  office  of  Mr.  Stanton, 
at  that  time  Secretary  of  War,  was  in  the  same  build- 
ing. Of  course  there  were  many  occurrences,  each 
day,  of  great  interest  to  me.  The  city  was  full  of 
soldiers,  while  every  hill  was  surmounted  by  its  long, 
white  hospital,  every  ward  of  which  was  crowded  by 
sick,  wounded  and  dying  men. 

Under  date  of  Feb,  3,  I  noted  in  my  journal  that 
President  Lincoln  had  gone  to  City  Point  to  confer  with 
A.  H.  Stephens,  R.  M.  T.  Hunter  and  Judge  Camp- 
bell, rebel  Peace  Commissioners  ;  also  the  fact  that  on 
Tuesday,  Jan.  31,  Congress  passed  the  Constitutional 
Amendment  forever  abolishing  slavery  throughout  the 
United  States,  and  the  next  day  the  State  of  Maryland 
ratified  it,  being  the  first  State  taking  such  action. 
Friday  evening,  Feb.  3,  Speaker  Colfax  had  a  recep- 
tion, where  I  saw  Gen.  Banks,  Senator  Wade,  Gen, 
Schenck,  G.  S.  Orth  and  other  notables. 

On  Sunday  I  usually  attended  meeting  at  the  City 
Hall,  where   the  small   church  of    Disciples  of   Christ 


JAMES   A.    GARFIELD.  373 

was  accustomed  to  meet.  Among  the  constant  at- 
tendants was  the  wife  of  Judge  Black,  and  the  Judge 
was  frequently  present.  The  church  had  no  regular 
pastor,  and  the  services  were  usually  conducted  by 
Elder  Morbaley,  a  clerk  in  the  Land  Department,  from 
Dubuque,  Iowa,  Elder  Benjamin  Summy,  and  such 
others  as  they  called  to  their  assistance. 

Monday  evening,  Feb.  6,  I  first  saw  President 
Lincoln.  There  was  a  grand  reception  at  the  White 
House,  and  a  great  crowd  was  in  attendance.  I  have 
noted  that  toward  the  close  of  the  evening  the  Presi- 
dent, accompanied  by  Mrs.  Senator  Morgan,  and  Mrs. 
Lincoln,  accompanied  by  Senator  Foote,  of  Vermont, 
promenaded  twice  around  the  rooms,  so  that  all  had  a 
good  chance  to  see  them  Gen.  Garfield  and  his  wife 
were  there ;  also  my  old  friend,  Aaron  B.  Turner,  of 
Grand  Rapids,  Mich.,  under  whom  I  took  my  first 
lessons  as  "printer's  devil"  while  he  worked  the  old 
hand-press,  in  1845. 

Of  course,  I  spent  an  occasional  evening  in  the 
gallery  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  though  I  sel- 
dom heard  or  saw  anything  of  enough  interest  to  repay 
the  trouble  of  attendance.  I  called  quite  frequently 
on  Gen.  and  Mrs.  Garfield,  where  I  met  Senator  Alli- 
son, Speaker  Colfax,  Hon.  A.  G.  Riddle  and  other 
noted  personages. 

On  Monday,  Feb.  20,  the  news  reached  us  of  the 
evacuation  of  Charleston  and  the  capture  of  Columbia, 
South  Corolina,  which  events  were  celebrated  by  one 
hundred  guns.  On  the  22nd  we  were  given  a  half-holi- 
day, in  honor  of  recent  victories  and  of  the  birth  of 
Washington.  At  night  there  was  a  magnificent  illumin- 
ation of  the  public  and  many  of  the  private  buildings. 


374  REMINISCENCES    OF 

My  notes  on  the  3d  and  4th  of  March,  1865,  are 
copious,  and  I  hope  the  reader  will  be  interested  in  the 
events  they  chronicle.      I  extract  from  my  journal : 

Friday,  March  3  :  The  city  is  filled  with  strangers  who  have  come 
here  to  witness  the  inauguration.  The  rain  fell  heavily  last  night,  and 
the  streets  are  very  muddy,  but  this  afternoon  it  looks  some  like  clear- 
ing off.  I  hope  to-morrow  may  be  pleasant,  and  an  omen  of  the  com- 
ing four  years,  which,  God  grant,  may  be  years  of  peace  instead  of 
war.     .     . 

Saturday,  March  4:  The  morning  broke  with  black  clouds  and 
driving  rain,  and  the  prospect  seemed  exceedingly  gloomy.  After 
breakfast  I  walked  down  to  Pennsylvania  avenue,  under  a  dripping 
umbrella,  and  later,  went  to  the  Hall  of  Representatives.  Spent  an 
hour  there,  witnessing  the  close  of  the  session.  Nothing  was  done 
while  I  remained,  except  call  the  yeas  and  nays,  amidst  much  con- 
fusion. The  hour  having  arrived  for  the  inauguration,  I  obtained  a 
place  in  the  mud,  near  the  front  of  the  platform,  and  stood  there 
through  the  ceremonies.  Many  thousands  were  present ;  how  many,  I 
dare  not  attempt  to  guess.  At  12  o'clock  noon  President  Lincoln  and 
Vice-President  Johnson  appeared  upon  the  platform,  which  by  that 
time  was  filled  with  Senators,  Foreign  Ministers,  and  other  distin- 
guished personages.  The  appearance  of  Mr.  Lincoln  was  greeted  witu 
tumultuous  shouts  from  the  thousands  gathered  around,  and  after  a 
short  delay  he  arose  and  read  his  inaugural  address.  I  heard  every 
word  of  it.  At  its  close,  Chief  Justice  Chase  arose  and  administered 
the  oath  of  office,  the  President  taking  the  Bible  from  his  hands  and 
kissing  it,  at  the  close  of  the  oath.  All  the  members  of  the  Supreme 
Court  were  standing  by.  The  crowd  then  began  to  disperse,  amid  the 
thunder  of  artillery  which  shook  the  Capitol,  massive  as  it  is,  until  the 
windows  rattled  at  each  explosion.  I  have  omitted  to  mention  that  the 
rain  ceased  about  half-past  ten  o'clock,  and  just  as  Mr.  Lincoln  arose 
to  read  his  inaugural  the  sun  burst  through  the  clouds  and  shone  full 
upon  him  and  the  company  Around  him,  as  well  as  the  thousands 
gathered  there.  The  remainder  of  the  day  and  evening  was  glorious. 
Was  the  clearing  up  the  stormy  and  unpropitious  weather  of  the 
morning  at  midday  an  omen  of  the  sunlight  of  success  that  shall  soon 
gild  the  clouds  that  now  hang  so  darkly  around  our  national  sky  ?  To- 
ward night  I  called  at  James'  room  and  had  a  pleasant  time  until  about 
eight  o'clock.     He  is  tired  out,  and  seems  worn  down  by  the  excessive 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  375 

labors  of  the  session.  I  then  went  to  the  President's  house,  and  after 
a  long  time  succeeded  in  entering  the  east  room.  There  were  an 
immense  number  present. 

This  was  the  last  time  I  ever  saw  Mr.  Lincoln,  until 
he  lay  in  his  coffin,  a  few  weeks  later. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  it  was  at  this  time  that 
Andrew  Johnson,  the  Vice-President,  brought  a  blush 
of  shame  to  the  cheek  of  every  one  of  his  countrymen 
who  was*  capable  of  blushing,  by  the  maudlin  speech 
he  made  in  the  Senate  Chamber,  as  his  inaugural.  He 
was  so  drunk  that  he  was  incapable  of  comprehending 
the  deep  disgrace  of  that  shameless  exhibition  of  his 
condition.  It  is  the  custom  to  inaugurate  the  Vice- 
President  first,  and  afterward  he  accompanies  the 
President  elect  to  the  platform,  where  the  latter  de- 
livers his  inaugural  and  takes  the  oath  of  office.  This 
day,  when  the  multitude  hailed  the  appearance  of 
President  Lincoln,  the  drunken  Vice-President  sup- 
posed the  applause  to  be  in  his  own  honor,  and  he 
crowded  forward  to  acknowledge  the  compliment,  and 
was  only  prevented  from  attempting  a  speech  by  the 
marshal  of  the  day,  who  forced  him  back  so  that  Mr. 
Lincoln  could  deliver  his  address.  It  was  reported 
that  Mr.  Johnson  was  ashamed  of  his  drunken  exhibi- 
tion of  himself  when  he  got  sober,  and  attempted  to 
excuse  his  condition  by  saying  that  he  took  brandy  as 
a  medicine.  Unfortunately  he  was  very  often  in  need 
of  medicine. 

On  the  15th  of  March  Mrs.  Fuller  arrived  in  Wash- 
ington, and  the  next  day  we  commenced  housekeeping. 
We  had  rented  part  of  a  house  about  three  miles  north 
of  Pennsylvania  avenue,  on  Seventh  street. 

The  papers  of  March  26  gave  us  an  account  of  a 


376  REMINISCENCES    OF 

great  battle  and  important  victory  won  by  Gen. 
Grant's  army.  Twenty-seven  hundred  rebel  prisoners 
were  reported  captured,  and  three  thousand  killed  and 
wounded.  On  the  same  day  President  Lincoln  and 
Gen.  Grant  were  reported  to  have  gone  within  sight  of 
Richmond. 

Under  date  of  Monday,  April  3,  my  journal  says  : 

Richmond  has  fallen  !  The  flag  of  the  Union  waves  in  triumph 
over  the  rebel  Capitol !  The  news  reached  the  War  Department  about 
II  o'clock  this  forenoon,  and  such  a  scene  of  rejoicing  and  shouting  and 
general  jubilee  I  have  never  before  seen.  Old  men  acted  like  boys, 
and  young  men  are  half  crazed  with  delight.  The  first  intimation  we 
had  of  it  in  our  office  was  from  a  wild  hurrah  from  the  next  floor  be- 
low, on  which  is  Secretary  Stanton's  room,  and  within  five  minutes  at 
least  a  thousand  men  were  gathered  about  the  west  door,  and  shouting 
and  shrieking  in  their  wild  delight.  Every  office  was  abandoned  ;  the 
clerks  determined  to  take  a  holiday,  and  the  Secretary  of  War  soon 
after  issued  orders  to  close  all  the  offices.  Speeches  were  made  by 
Secretary  Stanton,  Vice-President  Johnson,  Gen.  Nye,  and  others. 
Salutes  were  fired  all  about  the  city,  and  not  less  than  five  hundred 
guns  spoke  in  echoing  thunder  of  the  glorious  victory.  Great  prepa- 
rations are  being  made  for  a  grand  illumination.  The  latest  reports 
say  that  we  have  taken  25,000  prisoners,  and  that  the  capture  of  Lee's 
entire  army  seems  certain. 

Tuesday,  April  4:  During  the  day  great  preparations  had  been 
made  for  the  grand  illumination  to  come  off  in  the  evening.  About 
7^  o'clock  P.  M.,  we  rode  to  the  city,  with  Bro.  Summy's  people,  and 
remained  until  near  10^  o'clock.  We  rode  down  Seventh  street,  past 
the  Post-office,  to  E  street ;  then  along  that  street  to  Ninth  street ; 
then  down  Ninth  street  to  Pennsylvania  avenue,  and  then  up  the 
avenue  to  the  War  Department,  where  we  left  the  carriage  and  walked 
down  Seventeenth  street,  past  the  War  Department,  nearly  to  the  Navy 
Department.  Four  bands  were  at  the  War  Department,  and  made  ex- 
cellent music  all  the  evening.  Over  the  north  portico  was  erected 
a  magnificent  evergreen  arch,  beneath  which  was  suspended  a  trans- 
parency with  the  motto,  "The  Union  must  and  shall  be  preserved," 
and  beneath,  the  word  "  Richmond."  The  pillars  were  wreathed  with 
flags,  and   in  each  window  were   twenty-four  lights.     The   effect  was 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  377 

very  brikiant.  Several  thousand  people  filled  the  avenue  and  Seven- 
teenth street,  both  north  and  west  of  the  War  Department.  The  Navy 
Department,  Winder's  building,  the  "  Art  Hall,"  and  several  other 
buildings  near,  were  brilliantly  illuminated,  and  added  much  to  the 
effect.  We  then  went  around  to  the  President's  house,  which  was 
a  blaze  of  light ;  while  from  Lafayette  Square  beautiful  rockets  were 
sent  up,  exploding  in  a  shower  of  stars.  We  next  went  down  the 
avenue  past  the  Treasury.  Over  the  nonh  door  of  the  State  Depart- 
ment, which  is  in  the  Treasury  building,  was  the  motto,  "  At  home, 
Union  is  Order,  and  Order  is  Peace ;  Abroad,  Union  is  Strength,  and 
Strength  is  Peace."  Over  the  east  door  the  motto  was,  "  Peace  and 
good  will  to  all  nations,  but  no  entangling  alliances  and  no  interven- 
tion." Over  the  door  of  the  National  Currency  Bureau  of  the  United 
.States  Treasury  Department,  was  the  motto,  "  U.  S.  Greenbacks  and 
U.  S.  Grant ;  Grant  gives  the  Greenbacks  a  metallic  ring."  Below 
this  was  another  transparency  presenting  z.fac- simile  of  a  ten  dollar 
compound  interest  note.  Jay  Cooke's  banking  office  had  transparen- 
cies as  follows:  over  the  north  window,  "  5-20"  ;  over  the  south  win- 
dow, "  7-30."  These  were  connected  by  another,  bearing  the  inscrip- 
tion. "  The  bravery  of  our  Army,  the  valor  of  our  Navy,  sustained  by 
our  Treasury,  upon  the  faith  and  persistence  of  a  patriotic  people." 
Hundreds  of  other  buildings  were  illuminated,  but  I  can  not  mention 
them.  We  walked  down  Pennsylvania  avenue  as  far  as  Seventh  street ; 
then  up  Seventh  street  to  the  Post-office,  and  down  F  street,  stopping 
in  front  of  the  Patent  Office,  where  some  ten  or  fifteen  thousand  per- 
sons were  congregated,  listening  to  speeches.  We  did  not  go  up  to 
the  Capitol,  as  the  cars  were  crowded  and  the  walk  too  much  for 
Mary.  It  was  very  brilliantly  illuminated  to  the  very  top  of  the  dome, 
and  in  the  distance  presented  a  magnificent  spectacle.  Taken  as  a 
whole,  the  illumination  was  by  far  the  best  I  have  ever  seen,  and 
is  said  to  have  been  the  best  ever  seen  in  this  city. 

At  the  close  of  my  duties  for  the  day,  on  the  5th 
of  April  as  I  passed  through  Lafayette  Square,  and 
reached  the  gate-way  near  the  northeast  corner,  I  saw 
a  team  attached  to  a  close  carriage  dashing  at  headlong 
speed  down  the  street  in  an  easterly  direction,  and  as 
they  attempted  to  turn  into  an  alley  the  front  wheel 
struck   the   corner  of  the  brick  wall ;  and   one   of  the 


378  REMINISCENCES    OF 

occupants,  an  old,  gray-headed  man,  was  thrown  with 
fearful  violence  upon  the  pavement.  I  hurried  forward, 
but  when  I  reached  the  spot  a  number  of  others  were 
carrying  the  insensible  victim  into  the  house.  1  learned 
that  it  was  Hon.  William  H.  Seward,  the  Secretary  of 
State.  His  face  was  covered  with  blood,  his  arm 
broken,  and  it  was  said  that  he  had  sustained  severe  in- 
ternal injuries.  The  other  occupants  of  the  carriage 
were  Miss  Fannie  Seward,  Miss  Titus  and  Frederick 
W.  Seward,  none  of  whom  were  injured,  as  they  re- 
tained their  seats. 

On  the  7th  we  received  news  of  a  splendid  victory 
by  Sheridan,  over  a  part  of  Lee's  army,  and  the  cap- 
ture of  several  thousand  prisoners. 

On  the  afternoon  of  Sunday,  the  9th,  Mrs.  Fuller 
and  I  went  to  Alexandria  to  see  a  young  man  in  the 
hospital,  the  son  of  one  of  our  friends  in  Indiana.  It 
was  our  first  visit  to  the  Old  Dominion,  and  I  have 
noted  that  we  were  not  very  well  pleased  with  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  city.  The  streets  were  dirty,  and  the 
pavements  and  sidewalks  rough  and  broken.  The  city 
was  under  martial  law  ;  it  was  filled  with  hospitals, 
within  the  wards  of  which  lay  many  thousand  of  sick 
and  wounded  men.  While  we  were  spending  the 
beautiful  Lord's  day  afternoon  in  our  errand  of  mercy, 
not  very  faraway  was  transpiring  at  Appomattox  Court 
House  the  crowning  event  of  the  war,  the  surrender 
of  the  remnant  of  Lee's  army  to  the  indomitable  and 
immortal  Grant.  We  first  learned  of  the  surrender  on 
Monday  morning,  when  we  were  awakened  by  the 
thunder  of  heavy  artillery,  which  echoed  over  the  hills 
which  environ  Washington,  and  carried  the  tidings  to  all 
the  surrounding  country.  I  reached  the  War  Department. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  379 

in  good  season,  but  we  were  dismissed  at  II  o'clock. 
Though  rain  was  falling,  the  streets  were  filled  with 
pedestrians,  and  at  Willard's  Hotel  a  great  crowd  was 
gathered,  listening  to  speeches. 

On  Tuesday  night  there  was  another  splendid  illu- 
mination ;  the  President  made  a  speech,  and  there  was 
great  rejoicing,  though  the  splendor  of  the  occasion 
was  much  diminished  by  the  unpropitious  weather. 

On  Thursday,  April  13,  the  sun  shone  brilliantly, 
but  the  streets  were  muddy  and  the  sidewalks  wet  and 
disagreeable.  The  city  authorities  had  another  splendid 
illumination  that  evening,  which  was  said  to  have  sur- 
passed all  before  it.  We  did  not  go  into  the  city  to 
witness  it,  as  the  walking  was  bad,  and  we  were 
wearied  with  the  excitement  and  labors  of  the  preceding 
days.  The  tension  upon  every  one  had  been  so  great 
that  a  little  quiet  had  become  a  necessity  to  those 
whose  nerves  were  not  made  of  steel.  For  nearly 
three  weeks  the  people  had  been  half  mad  with  joy. 
The  day  for  which  they  had  struggled  and  labored  and 
fought  and  prayed  was  in  sight.  The  four  terrible 
years  were  over ;  the  sunlight  of  peace  had  come  to  a 
mourning  nation.  America  was  not  to  die  !  The  land 
had  been  saved  by  the  valor  of  her  invincible  sons ! 
Slavery  the  black  curse  which  had  hovered  over  her  for 
two  hundred  years,  had  been  swept  away.  The  world 
was  to  know  that  a  republic  could  not  only  defy  alien 
foes,  but  quell  a  rebellion  of  her  own  misguided  citi- 
zens!  The  old  flag,  the  "banner  of  beauty  and 
glory,"  again  floated  over  all  her  forts;  it  hailed  the 
sunlight  of  each  blessed  morning  on  every  mountain 
top,  and  waved  triumphantly  over  the  veteran  armies 
camped  in  all  her  valleys.     Once  again  could  her  sons 


380  REMINISCENCES    OF 

visit  the  remotest  foreign  shores,  safe  from  every  insult, 
and  secure  in  the  panoply  of  their  country's  protection. 
They  were  the  citizens  of  a  Nation  careful  of  the  rights 
of  others,  but  strong  enough  and  proud  enough  to 
maintain  her  own  rights  wherever  challenged  or  by 
whomsoever  denied.  That  night  joy  and  gratitude  and 
hope  filled  all  loyal  hearts,  but  oh !  what  shall  the 
morrow  be  ? 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

DEATH  OF  PRESIDENT    LINCOLN. SUBSEQUENT    EVENTS. 

END    OF    THE    WAR. THE    GREAT    REVIEW. 

The  14th  of  April,  1865,  was  a  beautiful  day.  The 
foliage  upon  the  trees  was  beginning  to  appear  ;  the 
peach  trees  were  loaded  with  their  pale,  pink  blos- 
soms, and  the  warm  rains  of  the  preceding  days  had 
given  a  greener  tint  to  the  grass-carpeted  lawns.  It  was 
Good  Friday,  and  services  were  held  in  many  of  the 
churches ;  a  large  number  of  clerks  were  absent  from 
their  desks,  ostensibly  to  attend  the  religious  services 
of  the  day,  though  the  offices  were  not  closed.  Flags 
were  floating  gayly  everywhere,  and  while  the  exub- 
erant rejoicing  of  the  last  few  days  was  becoming  a 
little  more  temperate,  everybody  seemed  happy. 

We  were  dismissed  at  2  o'clock,  by  order  of  Gen. 
Fry,  as  our  duties  had  been  light,  and  it  was  a  time 
for  the  lenient  enforcement  of  rules.  I  went  home,  and 
after  a  late  dinner  Mrs.  Fuller  and  I  returned  to  the 
city.  We  spent  an  hour  at  the  Smithsonian  Institute 
and  in  its  beautiful  grounds,  and  then  went  to  the  hall 
of  the  Sons  of  Temperance,  on  the  west  side  of  Ninth 
street  and  immediately  in  the  rear  of  Ford's  Theater, 
which  was  on  the  east  side  of  Tenth  street.  The  meet- 
ing of  the  Sons  of  Temperance  did  not  close  until 
about  10^  o'clock,  when  we  left  the  hall  and  walked 

two  blocks  east  to  Seventh  street,  and  entered  a  north 

381 


382  REMINISCENCES    OF 

bound  street  car  for  home.  As  we  stepped  aboard  the 
car,  a  man  followed  us  and  stated  that  President  Lin- 
coln had  just  been  shot  at  Ford's  Theater,  and,  it  was 
feared,  mortally  wounded.  He  said  he  was  in  the 
theater  and  heard  the  shot,  but  that  there  was  great 
confusion,  and  it  had  been  impossible  to  learn  certainly 
whether  Mr.  Lincoln's  wound  was  mortal,  though  such 
it  was  supposed  to  be.  Every  person  in  the  car  seemed 
stupefied  by  the  awful  tale — I  can  not  remember  that 
a  word  was  said.  We  reached  home,  but  not  to  sleep, 
except  a  "troubled,  dreamy  sleep."  There  was  still 
a  hope  that  the  assassin  might  have  failed  in  the  full 
accomplishment  of  his  fiendish  purpose. 

On  Saturday  morning  thick  clouds  veiled  the 
heavens :  the  great  sun  had  hidden  his  face,  and  would 
not  look  upon  a  nation's  sorrow.  It  was  a  day  of 
awful  gloom.  The  President  expired  at  twenty-two 
minutes  after  seven  o'clock,  and  a  few  minutes  later 
the  signals  had  been  given,  and  a  thousand  flags  at 
half-mast  told  the  terrible  story  to  the  thousands  wait- 
ing between  hope  and  despair. 

I  hurried  to  the  city,  but  on  the  hill,  north  of  the 
city  limits,  I  passed  a  soldier  who  was  guarding  the 
street.  He  offered  no  objection  to  those  going  into 
the  city,  but  no  one  was  allowed  to  go  out.  When  I 
reached  the  office  I  learned  the  particulars  of  Mr.  Lin- 
coln's murder,  and  of  the  attempted  assassination  of 
Secretary  Seward,  who  was  still  helpless  from  the 
accident  described  in  the  last  chapter.  During  the 
night  strong  patrols  had  been  placed  at  every  street 
corner,  and  the  whole  city  was  under  the  strictest  mar- 
tial law.  It  was  said  that  one  reckless  fool  expressed 
his  gratification  at  the  murder,  and  within  a  second  was 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  383 

pinned  to  the  earth  by  a  soldier's  bayonet.  It  did  not 
require  much  time  for  rebels  and  rebel  sympathizers  to 
learn  that  it  was  wise  to  conceal  their  satisfaction,  if 
such  they  felt. 

About  9  o'clock  a  small  cavalcade  entered  the 
White  House  grounds  bearing  the  body  of  the  dead 
President,  which  had  been  placed  in  a  temporary 
coffin  ;  the  body  was  borne  by  six  young  men  from 
the  Quartermaster's  Department,  and  was  accompanied 
by  a  small  escort  of  cavalry,  under  command  of  Lieut. 
Jamison.  Notwithstanding  the  rain,  there  were  thou- 
sands upon  the  streets,  the  greater  number  being 
freedmen,  who  manifested  the  most  intense  sorrow. 
They  were  gathered  in  little  groups,  where  one  held  an 
umbrella  over  another,  who  would  be  reading  the  de- 
tails of  the  awful  tragedy,  and  frequent  groans  and 
sobs  interrupted  the  reader.  Every  species  of  wild 
and  fearful  rumor  was  afloat  upon  the  streets,  and  no 
tale  of  deep  laid  schemes  of  blood  and  murder,  of  pil- 
lage and  rapine,  was  too  dark  or  improbable  to  receive 
ready  credence  from  not  a  few  of  the  excited  mul- 
titude. 

I  was  dispatched  as  bearer  of  the  following  letter ; 

War  Department,         ") 

Provost  Marshal  General's  Bureau,  j- 

Washington,  D.  C,  15th  April,  1865.      j 

Hon.  D.  K.  Carter,  Chief  Justice  Supreme  Court : 

Please  give  me  by  bearer  a  pertinent  description  of  the  assassins 
•of  the  President  and  Secretary,  that  I  may  telegraph  it  to  the  Provost 
Marshals  on  the  frontier.  Yours  truly, 

N.  L.  Jeffries, 
Acting  Provost  Marshal  General. 

It  was  settled  at  once  that  the  chief  assassin  was 
John  Wilkes  Booth,  as  he  was   recognized  by  dozens 


384  REMINISCENCES    OF 

before  he  escaped  from  the  house.  But  the  identity  of 
the  other  villians  was  not  clear,  and  it  was  some  time 
before  it  was  positively  known  who  were  his  accom- 
plices. The  injuries  sustained  by  Secretary  Seward 
and  his  son,  Frederick,  were  so  severe  that  for  a  time 
thty  were  supposed  to  be  mortal  ;  and  it  was  said  that 
the  plot  had  included  Speaker  Colfax,  Gen.  Grant, 
Vice-President  Johnson,  Secretary  Stanton,  and  per- 
haps others,  among  the  victims. 

Of  course,  the  only  business  attempted  by  the  mil- 
itary or  civil  authorities  was  the  detection  and  arrest  of 
the  assassins.  The  War  Department  at  once  offered 
$10,000  reward,  and  the  City  Government  $20,000,  for 
their  arrest,  and  a  few  days  later  the  new  President, 
Andrew  Johnson,  offered  $100,000  for  the  same  ser- 
vice. During  the  day  Mr.  Johnson  took  the  oath  of 
office,  and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  President.  His  few 
remarks  upon  the  occasion  were  modest  and  in  good 
taste,  as  he  was  sober. 

I  was  excused  from  further  duties  at  2  o'clock  p. 
m.,  but  was  detained  for  nearly  two  hours  in  obtaining 
the  following  pass  : 

No.  2691.  Headquarters 

Department  of  Washington, 
Washington,  D.  C,  April  15,  1865. 

Pass  C.  E.  Fuller,  on  Seventh  street,  near  the  toll  gate,  and  re- 
turn. 

Reason  .  To  go  home  and  business. 
This  pass  will  expire  April  23,  1865. 
By  command  of  Major  General  Augur. 

J.  A.  Slipper, 

Capt.  and  A.  A.  G. 

On  the  back  side  of  the  same  was  the  following : 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  385 

OATH  OF  ALLEGIANCE. 

In  availing  myself  of  the  benefits  of  this  Pass,  I  do  solemnly  af- 
firm that  I  will  support,  protect  and  defend  the  Constitution  and  Gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States  against  all  enemies,  whether  domestic  or 
foreign ;  that  I  will  bear  true  faith,  allegiance  and  loyalty  to  the  same, 
any  ordinance,  resolution  or  law  of  any  State  Convention  or  Legis- 
lature to  the  contrary  notwithstanding;  that  I  will  not  give  aid,  com- 
fort or  information  to  its  enemies ;  and  further,  that  I  do  this  with  a 
full  determination,  pledge  and  purpose,  without  any  mental  reservation 
or  evasion  whatsoever  :  So  help  me  God.  C.  E.  Fuller. 

During  the  day,  the  city  had  been  draped  in  fune- 
ral black ;  every  public,  and  nearly  every  private 
building,  displayed  the  insignia  of  the  overshadowing 
sorrow.  The  dwellings  of  the  rich  were  shrouded  in 
costly  drapings,  while  the  homes  of  the  poor  and  lowly 
manifested  the  grief  of  their  humble  occupants  by 
those  of  less  expensive  material.  I  do  not  think  there 
was  the  home  of  a  single  freedman  in  all  Washington 
which  did  not  display  some  badge  of  mourning. 

Sunday,  April  16,  was  my  day  of  service  in  the 
office,  as  on  every  Sunday  one  clerk  had  to  be  on  hand 
for  any  duty  which  required  immediate  attention,  and 
all  were  required  to  take  their  regular  turn.  Accord- 
ingly I  received  the  following  pass  : 

Pro.  Mars.  Gen'ls  Bureau,     1 
Washington,  D.  C,  April  15,  1865.  | 
Guards  will  pass  the  Bearer,   Mr.  Fuller,  Clerk  on  duty,  to  and 
from  the  War  Department,  to-morrow,  April  16,  1865. 

N    L.  Jeffries, 
Bvt.  Brig,  Gen'l  and  Acting  Pro.  Mar.  Gen'l. 

I  reached  the  office  at  9  o'clock,  and  remained  until 
half-past  3.  As  there  was  nothing  to  do,  I  whiled 
away  the  time  by  writing  letters  and  reading  details  of 
the    events   of   Saturday.      I   still  have   copies  of  the 


386  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Washington  papers  of  those  awful  days,  freighted  with 
the  particulars  of  the  great  tragedy. 

On  Tuesday  the  body  of  the  dead  President  lay  in 
state  in  the  East  Room,  where  a  few  weeks  before  I  had 
received  the  warm,  hearty  grasp  of  his  right  hand,  as 
with  the  throng  I  passed  before  him.  At  3  o'clock 
Mrs.  Fuller  and  Eliza,  our  foster-daughter,  came  to 
the  city  and  went  with  me  to  look  for  the  last  time 
upon  the  face  of  the  Nation's  dead.  The  coffin  in 
which  he  lay  was  of  solid  mahogany,  covered  with 
cloth  of  the  finest  texture  and  lined  with  lead,  inside  of 
which  it  was  cushioned  with  white  satin.  The  trim- 
mings were  of  massive  silver,  with  a  heavy  silver  plate 
on  which  was  engraved  the  following  inscription : 

Abraham  Lincoln, 

16th  President  of  the  United  States. 

Born  February  12,  1809. 

Died  April  15,  1865. 

The  coffin  was  placed  under  a  magnificent  catafalco, 
consisting  of  an  awning  or  covering  made  of  black 
cloth  and  lined  with  the  richest  white  silk,  supported 
by  four  posts  and  surrounded  by  beautiful  curtains, 
looped  up,  while  a  great  profusion  of  the  rarest  flowers 
lay  about  the  coffin.  We  had  only  time  to  pass  by  and 
take  a  hurried  look  at  the  pale  sleeper,  as  many  thou- 
sands were  in  the  hurrying  procession. 

The  next  day,  Wednesday,  April  19,  occurred  the 
funeral.  When  we  arrived  at  the  Treasury  Depart- 
ment we  found  the  crowd  immense  beyond  anything 
we  had  ever  seen.  Unnumbered  thousands  had  come 
from  every  quarter  to  pay  a  last  tribute  of  honor  and 
respect  to  the  Great  Emancipator,  the  grandest  and 
noblest    character    of    the    century.      Mrs.    Fuller  and 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  387 

Eliza  found  a  rough  seat  on  the  south  side  of  Pennsyl- 
vania avenue,  between  Ninth  and  Tenth  streets,  where 
they  remained  for  nearly  five  hours,  witnessing  the 
great  pageant. 

There  were  many  thousand  soldiers  and  marines, 
including  infantry,  cavalry  and  artillery,  while  mem- 
bers of  Congress,  Governors,  Foreign  Ministers,  Cler- 
gymen, Masons,  Odd  Fellows,  Sons  of  Temperance, 
thousands  of  clerks  from  the  departments,  delegations 
from  a  score  of  cities,  etc.,  all  served  to  swell  the  pro- 
cession to  enormous  proportions.  Thus  attended,  the 
magnificent  funeral  car  passed  slowly  from  the  White 
House  to  the  Capitol,  where  the  body  was  transferred 
to  the  rotunda,  to  remain  until  the  morrow,  when  it 
should  enter  upon  its  last  journey  to  his  old  home  in 
Springfield,  to  sleep  among  the  people  who  beneath  a 
rough  exterior  had  discovered  in  the  soul  of  Abraham 
Lincoln  a  diamond  of  imperishable  worth — a  precious 
and  priceless  gem,  which  the  lapse  of  centuries  should 
not  tarnish. 

On  Thursday,  while  all  our  hearts  were  bowed 
under  the  great  and  overshadowing  sorrow,  a  copy  of  a 
newspaper,  published  at  Ashland,  Pennsylvania,  reached 
Gen.  Fry's  office,  containing  an  editorial  suggesting 
that  "  when  Abraham  Lincoln  reached  his  bloody  end 
the  fit  emblem  to  be  carried  at  the  head  of  his  funeral 
procession  was  a  negro's  skull  with  a  white  man  im- 
paled, and  the  motto,  '  This  is  all  the  result  of  the 
slaughter  of  two  millions  of  human  beings,  and  a  load 
of  debt  under  which  unborn  generations  shall  groan  ;' 
and  at  his  burial  there  should  be  no  Christian  rites,  but 
only  Scylla  mingling  the  Centaur's  feast  of  blood." 

It  was   fortunate   for  the  malevolent  and  infamous 


388  REMINISCENCES    OF 

writer  that  he  was  not  at  Washington  that  April  day, 
for,  under  the  state  of  feeling  then  existing,  he  would 
have  ornamented  a  lamp-post,  unless  defended  by  a 
regfiment  of  soldiers,  and  even  then  it  is  doubtful 
whether  they  would  have  been  sufficiently  earnest  in 
the  performance  of  so  disagreeable  a  duty  as  to  have 
insured  his  safety. 

Almost  daily,  word  reached  our  office  that  some 
miscreant  had  met  a  speedy  death  for  expressing  satis- 
faction at  Mr.  Lincoln's  murder ;  in  all  parts  of  the 
loyal  States  it  was  extremely  dangerous  to  express 
such  sentiments.  I  do  not  believe  it  would  have  been 
possible  in  any  community  to  have  inflicted  punish- 
ment upon  the  man  who  had  visited  swift  vengeance 
upon  such  wretches. 

On  Friday  morning,  April  21,  the  employes  of 
the  Government  from  the  State  of  Indiana  assem- 
bled at  the  National  Hotel,  to  accompany  Gov.  O. 
P.  Morton  on  a  visit  to  President  Johnson.  There 
were  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  us.  Gov.  Morton 
made  a  short  address,  pledging  President  Johnson  the 
same  generous  support  and  confidence  which  had  been 
extended  to  his  illustrious  predecessor.  Mr.  Johnson 
replied  at  great  length,  speaking  more  than  an  hour. 
At  the  close  of  his  speech,  the  Governor  introduced  all 
of  the  delegation  to  him.  I  can  recall  but  very  little  of 
the  speech  of  Mr.  Johnson,  but  remember  that  he  re- 
peated several  times  that  "treason  must  be  made 
odious,"  intimating  that  in  order  to  make  it  odious,  the 
leading  conspirators  ought  to  suffer  death.  While  he 
was  always  ready  for  a  speech  on  every  possible  occa- 
sion, every  sentence  betrayed  his  want  of  education  ; 
but  of  this  he  was  happily  unconscious. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  389 

As  I  had  been  in  Washington  only  a  few  months, 
Mr.  Colfax,  to  whom  I  was  indebted  for  my  appoint- 
ment, secured  for  me  a  transfer  to  the  office  of  Internal 
Revenue,  then  under  the  charge  of  Hon.  Joseph  J. 
Lewis  as  Commissioner.  I  remained  in  the  Provost 
Marshal  General's  Office,  however,  until  the  close  of 
the  month.  On  the  27th  the  body  of  John  Wilkes 
Booth  reached  the  city.  His  companion,  Harrold,  also 
arrived  at  the  same  time. 

While  the  events  of  the  last  few  days  were  trans- 
piring, the  grand  armies  which  had  achieved  the  com- 
plete overthrow  of  the  rebel  forces  were  being  gathered 
about  the  city  of  Washington.  By  the  middle  of  May 
at  least  200,000  troops  were  camped  within  ten  miles  of 
the  city.  On  the  23d  and  24th  of  the  same  month  oc- 
curred the  grand  review  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
and  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee.  In  the  former  were 
more  than  two  hundred  regiments  of  infantry,  cavalry 
and  heavy  artillery,  besides  twenty-four  batteries  of 
field  artillery,  comprising  not  less  than  75,000  men, 
while  the  batteries  alone  had  3,600  horsLS.  The  Army 
of  the  Tennessee  contained  about  the  same  number  of 
infantry,  but  less  of  cavalry  and  artillery. 

It  was  a  pageant  never  before  equaled  on  this  con- 
tinent, and  which  I  trust  may  never  be  again  witnessed. 
Among  the  distinguished  military  men  were  all  of  the 
illustrious  generals  of  the  war  ;  among  them  were 
Grant,  Sherman,  Meade,  Hancock,  Logan,  and  a  hun- 
dred more,  while  great  men  in  civil  life  had  gathered 
from  every  part  of  the  Union  to  witness  the  final  act  of 
the  greatest  war  known  to  history.  I  have  no  words 
to  fittingly  describe  the  scenes  of  those  two  memorable 
days.     The   regiments   which    years    before    marched 


390  REMINISCENCES    OF 

forth  clad  in  their  new  uniforms  and  with  richly- 
wrought  silken  banners  floating  proudly  over  them, 
came  back  with  only  a  remnant  of  their  number, 
travel-stained  and  bronzed  by  hard  service,  their  ban- 
ners torn  and  tattered  and  blackened  by  the  sulphurous 
smoke  of  battle,  yet  proud  of  the  glorious  work  they 
had  accomplished  for  their  country. 

Oh,  what  would  we  not  have  given  if  the  martyr 
President  could  have  been  upon  the  stand  in  place  of. 
his  unworthy  successor,  to  witness  this  glorious  march 
of  the  hundreds  of  thousands  whom  he  had  summoned 
from  peaceful  homes,  as  now,  their  mission  done,  their 
country  saved,  they  came  to  receive  an  honorable  dis- 
charge from  the  Nation's  service,  to  return  again  to  the 
peaceful  industries  of  life. 

On  the  first  day  of  May  I  entered  on  my  duties  in 
the  office  of  Internal  Revenue.  Our  rooms  for  a  short 
time  were*  in  the  Treasury  Department,  but  we  were 
then  removed  to  a  new  building  which  had  been  built 
for  a  hotel,  but  was  rented  by  the  Government  for  the 
use  of  the  Internal  Revenue  Bureau.  My  duties  were 
the  examination  of  the  accounts  of  the  various  col- 
lectors, and  I  found  the  work  exceedingly  monotonous 
and  unsatisfactory.  I  think  I  never  attempted  any 
task  so  exhausting  to  my  nervous  system  as  I  found  my 
work  that  summer,  and  I  was  more  than  ready  to  leave 
to  others  the  coveted  place.  I  remained  until  October 
i,  and  then  tendered  my  resignation,  though  I  still 
have  the  notice  received  a  few  days  before,  requesting 
me  to  appear  for  examination  and  promotion  to  a 
higher  grade.  But  I  had  accomplished  the  purpose  for 
which  I  sought  a  place  in  Washington,  and  was  ready 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  39 1 

to  enter  once  more  my  chosen  vocation  as   editor  of  a 
newspaper. 

I  can  not  refrain  from  saying  a  few  words  for  the 
benefit  of  the  multitude  of  young  men  who  think  a 
place  as  clerk  in  one  of  the  Government  Departments 
desirable.  My  words  of  warning  may  be  useless,  but 
to  any  young  man  possessed  of  any  ability  to  fit  him 
to  be  useful  in  the  world,  such  an  appointment  is  cer- 
tainly a  curse.  A  few  years  of  such  service  is  sufficient 
totally  to  unfit  one  for  any  legitimate  business  ;  to  ren- 
der him  timid,  and  rob  him  of  all  self-reliance.  The 
pay  barely  affords  a  living,  and  when  by  chance  he  is 
no  longer  needed,  he  is  thrown  helpless  upon  the 
world,  irresolute  and  discouraged.  Be  a  fanner,  an 
artisan,  a  mechanic  ;  be  a  doctor,  a  lawyer  or  a 
preacher,  but  never  seek  to  be  a  mere  clerk  in  a  Gov- 
ernment office,  with  its  monotonous  daily  duties  and  its 
emasculating  influence  upon  one's  life  and  character. 

We  left  Washington  Oct.  3,  1865,  and  proceeded  at 
once  to  Berlin,  Mich.,  where  my  father  and  mother 
were  then  living,  only  stopping  on  the  way  at  Muir, 
Mich.,  to  visit  Capt.  Edward  L.  Craw  and  his  family, 
who  have  been  mentioned  in  the  early  chapters  as 
being  among  my  early  friends  at  Hiram,  as  well  as  of 
Mrs.  Fuller  during  her  girlhood  days  at  Butler,  N.  Y. 
We  spent  most  of  the  month  of  October  visiting 
among  our  friends  at  Newaygo,  Grand  Rapids,  Big 
Rapids,  etc.  Nearly  five  years  had  elapsed  since  we 
left  Northern  Michigan,  and  they  had  been  eventful . 
years,  crowded  with  the  greatest  changes  in  American 
history.  It  was  my  first  month  of  leisure,  and  I  de- 
termined to  spend  it  in  recreation  before  again  entering 
uoon  active  business. 


CHAPTER   XLV. 

LETTERS    FROM    MR.    GARFIELD    AND    MR.    COLFAX. ARCH- 
IBALD   BEAL. 

About  the  middle  of  October  I  received  the  follow- 
ing letter,  in  answer  to  one  written  by  me  before  leaving 
Washington,  announcing  my  resignation  : 

Hiram,  O.,  October  3,  1865. 

My  Dear  Corydon : — Your  welcome  letter  of  the  26th  is  received. 
It  finds  me  at  home,  and,  for  the  time  being,  a  cripple.  Four  weeks 
ago  I  sprained  my  ankle  precisely  where  it  was  sprained  thirteen  years 
ago,  when  we  roomed  together.  You  remember  what  a  long  siege  I 
had  with  it  then.  I  have  not  yet  been  able  to  use  it,  more  than  to  bear 
a  part  of  my  weight  upon  it,  and  the  rest  on'  a  cane.  Indeed,  I  have 
had  some  fear  that,  in  view  of  the  former  hurt  in  the  same  joint,  it 
would  be  permanently  injured,  but  I  hope  not. 

I  am  greatly  distressed  to  hear  that  your  health  is  failing,  so  much 
so  that  you  are  compelled  to  resign  your  position  in  Washington.  I 
beg  of  you  to  take  all  pains  to  restore  your  health  first  of  all. 

I  was  hard  at  work  in  the  State  campaign  when  my  accident  oc- 
curred. Since  then  I  have  made  no  speeches,  nor  shall  I  be  able  to 
make  any  more  during  the  campaign.  The  early  part  of  the  season  I 
was  engaged  in  the  oil  business,  and  hope  yet  to  realize  something  from 
my  investments  in  that  direction.  I  am  trying  to  do  a  good  df»al  of 
reading  to  prepare  myself  for  the  struggle  which  will  be  upon  us  when 
the  39th  Congress  meets.  I  look  forward  with  great  anxiety,  not  un- 
mixed with  alarm,  at  the  signs  of  the  times  in  the  immediate  political 
future.  I  fear  that  President  Johnson  is  going  too  fast  on  the  road 
toward  reorganization.  I  fear  it  leads  too  far  into  rebeldom.  I  agree 
with  you,  that  it  would  at  least  be  decent  to  wait  until  the  grass  is 
green  on  the  graves  of  our  murdered  patriots. 

Your  letter  has  made  me  very  anxious  for  you.      Be 
392 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  393 

assured,  my  dear  brother,  that  I  cherish  the  same  old  love,  and  my  heart 
responds  as  ever  to  all  your  joys  and  sorrows. 
With  all  my  heart  I  am,  as  ever, 

Your  brother, 

James. 
P.  S. — "  John  Jordan  "  came  to  hand  a  few  days  ago.    It  was  news 
to  me  in  many  particulars.     Such  is  "rags  and  lampblack"  fame. 

J.  A.  G. 

The  references  in  the  above  letter  to  my  impaired 
health  were  called  forth  by  the  fact  that  during  the  last 
few  weeks  of  my  employment  in  the  Treasury  Depart- 
ment I  had  suffered  from  severe  pains  in  my  sides  and 
lungs,  which,  however,  almost  at  once  disappeared 
after  I  was  relieved  from  the  enervating  and  exhausting 
work  of  the  office. 

"John  Jordan"  had  reference  to  an  article  in  the 
October  number  of  the  Atlantic  Monthly  for  1865,  en- 
titled "John  Jordan,  From  the  Head  of  Bain,"  written 
by  Edmund  Kirke,  alias  James  R.  Gilmore.  It  was  a 
well  written  story  of  Garfield's  expedition  in  the  winter 
of  1 86 1-2,  which  resulted  in  the  battle  of  Prestonburg 
and  the  defeat  of  Humphrey  Marshall,  but  many  of 
the  incidents  related  were  doubtless  the  invention  of 
the  bright  and  versatile  author. 

After  spending  the  most  of  the  month  of  October 
visiting  among  our  Michigan  friends,  we  proceeded  to 
South  Bend,  Ind.  During  my  stay  in  Washington  I 
had  been  in  frequent  correspondence  with  my  friend, 
Archibald  Beal,  whose  name  has  been  frequently  men- 
tioned, with  reference  to  the  purchase  of  a  good  news- 
paper, he  to  take  the  business  management  and  I  the 
editorial  work.  On  our  arrival  at  South  Bend,  Oct.  31, 
1865,  I  found  that  Mr.  Beal  had  just  completed  the 
purchase,  for  $6,000,  of  the  St.  Joseph  Valley  Register, 


394  REMINISCENCES    OF 

the  newspaper  established  in  1845  by  Vice-President 
Colfax.  It  was  a  nine-column  folio  paper  ;  the  office 
contained  an  old  Hoe  cylinder  hand  press,  a  Washing- 
ton hand  press,  an  old  job  press,  and  a  large  supply  of 
old  type.  Mr.  Colfax  had  sold  the  paper  a  few  years 
before,  and  from  various  causes  it  was  not  in  first  rate 
condition,  though  it  was  a  bargain  at  the  price  for 
which  Mr.  Beal  purchased  it.  The  next  day,  Novem- 
ber I,  I  purchased  of  Mr.  Beal  a  one-fourth  interest  in 
the  office  for  $1,500,  and  secured  a  contract  for  the 
purchase  of  another  one-fourth  at  the  end  of  one  or 
two  years,  for  the  same  price,  plus  one-fourth  of  the 
sum  which  should  have  been  expended  for  improve- 
ments. 

The  current  issue  of  the  paper  was  nearly  ready  for 
the  press,  and  I  did  not  contribute  anything  for  its 
columns,  though  my  good  friend,  Mr.  Colfax,  contrib- 
uted the  following  : 

Messrs.  Beal  if  Fuller: — The  interest  I  naturally  feel  in  the  Regis- 
ter, the  first  number  of  which  I  issued  over  twenty  years  ago,  in  the 
days  of  my  earliest  manhood,  and  with  which  I  was  for  so  many  years 
so  closely  identified,  may  justify  me  in  writing  this  note  to  express  to 
you  the  gratification  I  feel  that  when  my  old  associates,  Messrs. 
Wheeler  &  Hall,  determined  to  seek  other  fields  of  duty,  they  trans- 
ferred it  to  such  competent  and  worthy  successors.  For  years  I  read 
with  interest  and  pleasure  the  Mishawaka  Enterprise,  edited  by  the 
senior  of  your  firm,  and  the  Rochester  Chronicle,  edited  by  your  junior  ; 
and,  with  your  devotion  to  principle,  and  experience  and  aptitude  in 
publishing  papers,  I  have  the  fullest  confidence  you  will  win  that  suc- 
cess in  your  hew  undertaking  which  you  so  well  deserve. 

Yours  truly,  SCHUYLER  COLFAX. 

South  Bend  at  that  time  was  a  thriving  manufactur- 
ing city  of  some  ten  thousand  inhabitants.  It  contained 
the   famous  Studebaker  wagon  and  carriage  factories,. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  395 

the  Oliver  plow  works,  a  manufactory  of  Singer's  sew- 
ing machines,  a  large  paper  mill,  and  a  number  of  less 
important  industrial  establishments.  There  was  but 
one  other  newspaper,  and  we  soon  found  we  had  been 
very  fortunate  in  our  purchase.  We  at  once  added  a  new 
jobber  and  a  supply  of  the  latest  styles  of  type,  and,  as 
a  consequence  of  our  better  facilities,  we  were  crowded 
with  job  printing,  while  our  advertising  patronage  was 
so  liberal  that  we  were  obliged  to  issue  a  supplement 
almost  every  week. 

My  partner,  Mr.  Beal,  was  an  excellent  business 
man,  thoroughly  reliable  and  eminently  trustworthy. 
During  the  two  years  we  were  associated  we  never  had 
a  word  of  difference,  and  for  the  last  eighteen  years  it 
has  been  a  constant  source  of  regret  that  we  could  not 
be  again  associated  in  business.  He  has  been  for  sev- 
eral years  the  manager  of  the  Hcrald-CJiromcle,  at  La 
Porte,   Ind. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  it  was  during  the  first 
few  months  of  our  ownership  of  the  Register  that  Pres- 
ident Johnson  abandoned  the  principles  he  had  pro- 
fessed during  the  war,  and  joined  his  fortunes  with  the 
late  Confederates.  For  a  time  a  large  class  of  politi- 
cians were  disposed  to  follow  him,  or  at  least  to  acqui- 
esce in  his  betrayal  of  the  party  which  had  elected  him, 
as  by  so  doing  they  hoped  still  to  control  the  public 
offices.  A  delegation  of  these  time-servers  called  on 
us  to  suggest  great  caution  in  the  expression  of  any 
positive  opinions,  telling  us  that  it  was  uncertain  what 
course  the  leading  politicians  would  decide  it  best  to 
take.  When  they  had  retired,  I  had  a  consultation 
with  Mr.  Beal,  and  told  him  if  he  wished  to  have  any 
ambiguous,  double-faced  editorial  expressions  as  to  Mr. 


396  REMINISCENCES    OF 

Johnson  I  would  be  glad  to  have  him  write  them,  as  I 
would  not.  He  answered  that  he  was  satisfied  to  have 
me  say  what  I  pleased,  and  I  wrote  an  article  which 
must  have  been  satisfactory  to  the  committee,  as  they 
never  gave  me  any  more  advice  as  to  the  way  to  write  and 
still  say  nothing. 

I  told  them  that  the  political  corpses  of  just  such 
time-servers  as  themselves  were  moldering  along  the 
shores  of  the  past,  while  men  with  positive  convictions, 
who  were  neither  afraid  nor  ashamed  to  express  their 
own  honest  sentiments,  had  been  successful ;  and  that 
it  was  a  poor  time  for  cowards  to  succeed  just  after  the 
nation  had  sacrificed  a  million  lives  and  untold  treasure 
to  maintain  its  principles  and  preserve  its  honor.  I 
assured  them  that  so  long  as  I  conducted  the  paper  it 
would  at  all  times  be  ready  to  take  a  position  on  any 
public  question,  without  any  delay  to  ascertain  the 
opinion  of  those  who  waited  to  know  what  was  likely 
to  prove  popular. 

In  the  Register  for  Jan.  4,  1866,  the  "  New  Year's 
Greeting  "  was  in  these  words  : 

The  year  1865  will  occupy  a  place  in  history  as  important  as  any, 
perhaps,  since  the  illustrious  one  from  which  all  Christendom  count 
each  cycle  earth  describes  around  the  sun.  The  rays  of  its  first  morn- 
ing fell  upon  the  snowy  tents  of  fifteen  hundred  thousand  soldiers  with 
the  starry  flag  of  the  Union  and  the  mongrel  banner  of  treason  and  re- 
bellion floating  over  them.  The  advancing  spring  beheld  the  complete 
and  overwhelming  triumph  of  the  right,  and  the  annihilation  of  the 
military  power  which  for  four  bloody  years  had  sought  the  nation's 
life.  Who  has  forgotten  those  glorious  days  in  April  when  the  bells 
rang  out  the  glad  tidings  of  victorious  peace  ;  a  peace  which  patriots 
were  proud  of — not  purchased  at  the  price  of  honor  and  self-respect, 
but  wrested  from  heroic  foes,  who,  had  they  been  fighting  in  a  good 
cause,  would  never  have  been  conquered.  The  nation's  capitol  was  il- 
luminated  from   its  massive  foundations  to  the  feet  of  the  statue  of  the 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  397 

Goddess  of  Liberty,  and  shone  with  dazzling  brilliancy,  while  in  every 
city,  village  and  hamlet  from  the  rocky  shores  of  New  England  to  the 
far  off  Pacific  the  glad  news  was  greeted  with  thanksgivings  and  re- 
joicings. 

Then  came  that  awful  deed  which  overwhelmed  every  true-hearted 
son  and  daughter  of  the  Republic  with  a  sorrow  such  as  is  felt  when  a 
fond  and  loving  father  falls  by  the  ruthless  hand  of  violence,  while 
here  and  there  a  demon  in  human  shape,  a  thing  of  which  even  hell 
might  be  ashamed,  could  not  quite  conceal  the  fiendish  |oy  which  ani- 
mated its  fiendish  heart  at  this  appalling  deed  of  wickedness. 

And  thus  the  months  rushed  by,  each  freighted  with  great  events, 
until  to  close  the  year  December  came,  and  was  made  most  illustrious 
of  them  all  by  the  final,  the  everlasting  overthrow  of  that  atrocious 
system  which  for  more  than  two  hundred  years  had  cursed  and  dis- 
graced us  as  a  people — the  damnable  institution  of  human  slavery.  No 
year  since  1776  can  be  compared,  in  the  importance  of  its  events  to  the 
American  people,  with  the  year  which  has  just  closed.  May  God  in 
mercy  grant  that  1866  may  witness  such  advances  among  us  in  right- 
eousness and  truth — in  the  love  and  practice  of  justice — as  shall  render 
us  worthy  of  his  blessing.  May  he  turn  away  from  our  shores  the  pes- 
tilence, fill  the  land  with  plenty,  save  us  from  foreign  wars  and  domes- 
tic violence,  and  lead  us  by  his  guiding  hand  in  the  paths  of  pleasant- 
ness and  peace.  Thus  will  this  be  to  all  of  us,  in  its  brightest  and  best 
sense,  a  Happy  New  Year. 

In  February,  1866,  my  partner,  Mr.  Beal,  desiring 
to  use  some  money,  offered  to  sell  me  another  one- 
fourth  of  the  office  at  once,  if  I  could  raise  the  neces- 
sary means— $1,500  Of  course,  I  was  exceedingly 
anxious  to  accomplish  the  purchase,  and  was  willing  to 
pay  any  rate  of  interest  required.  I  did  not  succeed, 
and  my  failure  cost  me  $1,200.  In  other  words,  our 
earnings  for  the  year  were  $6,000,  of  which,  by  o%r 
contract,  my  partner  received  $4,200  and  I  $1,800. 

While  endeavoring  to  borrow  the  sum  required,  I 
wrote  to  Mr.  Garfield  to  learn  if  he  could  aid  me,  and 
received  the  following  reply  : 


398  REMINISCENCES    OF 

House  of  Representatives,      > 
Washington,  D.  C,  Feb.  15,  1866,  / 

My  Dear  Corydoii : — Yours  of  the  nth  is  received.  I  am  always 
glad  to  hear  from  you,  for  it  brings  over  my  heart  a  flood  of  old  happy 
memories.  I  would  have  answered  your  good  letter  of  more  than  a 
month  ago,  but  for  the  great  press  of  work  upon  me,  and  the  faith  I 
had  in  you,  that  you  would  not  think  my  neglect  arose  from  any  lack  of 
affection.  I  am  sorry  I  am  not  in  a  condition  to  loan  you  the  money 
you  need.  It  would  give  me  the  sincerest  pleasure  to  do  so.  I  am  just 
now  straining  every  nerve  to  help  my  brother  Thomas  to  get  a  home. 
The  noble  fellow  did  all  in  his  power  to  help  me  in  early  life,  and  I 
would  cheerfully  share  my  last  crust  with  him.  1  should  think  it  would 
be  an  easy  matter  to  secure  the  loan  you  need.  I  will  talk  with  Schuy. 
ler  about  it.  May  be  he  can  suggest  some  one  who  would  be  able  and 
willing  to  do  it. 

I  will  send  you  a  copy  of  my  speech  to  which  you  refer.  I  am 
glad  to  know  it  has  been  so  well  received  here  and  abroad.  It  was  an 
attempt  to  stay  the  tide  that  Stevens  and  his  followers  have  been  setting 
in  motion,  and  which,  if  continued,  will  destroy  the  Republican  party. 
I  am  thankful  for  the  kind  and  brotherly  manner  in  which  you  mention 
it  in  the  Register.  Schuyler  told  me  he  should  send  three  hundred  of 
them  to  his  constituents.  Crete  and  her  sister  Nellie  are  with  me,  and 
our  two  little  boys.  All  send  love  to  you  and  Mary. 
Ever  your  brother, 

James. 

Of  course,  the  reader  will  recognize  the  hearty, 
friendly  style  of  expression  characteristic  of  Mr.  Gar- 
field, wherein  he  speaks  of  the  honored  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  the  39th  Congress  as  "Schuyler."  He  and 
Mr.  Colfax  were  for  nearly  twenty  years  intimate  per- 
sonal friends,  and  I  have  reason  to  know  that  Mr.  Gar- 
field had  no  doubts  as  to  the  incurruptible  integrity  and 
ge*nuine  worth  of  his  friend. 

The  speech  alluded  to  by  Mr.  Garfield  was  delivered 
in  the  House  of  Representatives,  Feb.  1,  1866.  It  was 
upon  the  "Restoration  of  the  Southern  States,"  and 
attracted  wide  attention.  It  will  be  found  in  the  first 
volume  of   Hinsdale's   "Works  of  Garfield."     It  con- 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  399 

tains  some  very  fine  passages,  and  will  well  repay  read- 
ing even  at  this  late  day. 

I  shall  refrain  from  wearying  the  reader  with  the 
daily  history  of  the  next  year  and  a  half.  My  duties 
as  editor  engaged  my  entire  time,  and,  as  I  look  over 
the  files  of  the  St.  Joseph  Valley  Register  for  the  period 
during  which  I  controlled  its  columns,  I  am  rejoiced  to 
find,  after  nearly  twenty  years  of  more  ripened  experi- 
ence, but  very  little  I  would  care  to  change.  If  its 
utterances  were  at  times  seemingly  harsh,  they  were 
directed  at  what  I  regarded  as  flagrant  evils  or  crimes 
against  humanity.  When  a  poor  wretch  died  in  the 
county  alms-house  after  thirty-one  years  of  helplessness, 
the  cause  of  whose  fall  as  from  heaven  to  hell — from 
the  glorious  promise  of  a  splendid  young  manhood  to 
a  helpless,  wretched,  maimed,  idiotic  burden  upon 
public  charity  for  a  whole  generation — was  a  single  pint 
of  whisky,  sold  by  a  licensed  fiend,  I  rejoice  to  find  I 
characterized  the  liquor  traffic  in  words  of  hot  indigna- 
tion, which  were  pronounced  by  some  as  fanatical. 
When,  by  a  gigantic  scheme  of  fraud  and  villainy, 
known  as  a  "gift  enterprise,"  a  Chicago  scoundrel 
fleeced  a  credulous  and  dishonest  public  out  of  half  a 
million  hard  earned  dollars,  the  Register  used  no  hon- 
eyed words  in  describing  the  atrocious  crime,  and  the 
dealers  in  lottery  tickets  did  not  speak  well  of  either 
the  paper  or  its  editor. 

While  the  political  articles  of  the  paper  were,  per- 
haps, tinctured  with  the  bitter  memories  of  the  four 
terrible  years  of  blood,  which  were  so  recently  ended, 
and  whose  sad  relics  were  always  before  us,  yet  they 
were  the  sincere  expression  of  honest  opinion,  and, 
therefore,  need  no  apology,  and  so  far  as  the  writer  is 


400  REMINISCENCES    OF 

concerned,  he  still   cherishes  the  sentiments  then  ex- 
pressed. 

I  must  be  pardoned  for  introducing  here  an  extract 
from  an  article  published  in  the  Register  Oct.  18,  1866, 
as  expressive  of  convictions  then  cherished,  and  which 
the  writer  still  believes  to  be  sound : 

On  the  Friday  preceding  the  election,  the  .  .  .  party  had  a  rally 
in  this  city.  In  numbers  it  was  respectable,  as  was  to  have  been  expected 
from  the  herculean  efforts  of  the  party  leaders  to  make  it  a  success. 
Among  other  features,  the  procession  had  in  it  a  large  wagon  loaded 
with  boys,  ranging  perhaps  from  ten  to  fifteen  years.  As  this  wagon 
passed  through  Market  street,  these  boys,  led  and  instructed  by  a  full- 
grown  man,  were  singing  a  profane  doggerel,  as  follows : 

"  In  eighteen  hundred  sixty-six 
Colfax  is  in  a  hell  of  a  fix." 

varied,  as  we  are  credibly   informed,  when   passing  the  house  of  Mr. 
Colfax,  by  vulgar  and  insulting  language. 

On  the  succeeding  Monday  the  .  .  .  party  had  the  final  rally 
of  the  campaign,  and,  prominent  among  the  interesting  features  of  its 
procession,  was  also  a  similar  wagon  loaded  with  boys  of  a  similar  age. 
The  motto  on  their  banner  was  "  We  '11  Stand  by  the  Flag,  by  and  by," 
and  the  song  they  sang  as  they  passed  along  the  street  was : 

"  Yes,  we  '11  rally  round  the  flag,  boys,  we  'II  rally  once  again, 

Shouting  the  battle  cry  of  Freedom  ! 
We  will  rally  from  the  hillside,  we'll  gather  from  the  plain, 

Shouting  the  battle  cry  of  Freedom  ! 

The  Union  forever, 
Kurrah,  boys,  hurrah, 
Down  with  the  traitor, 
Up  with  the  star, 
While  we  rally  round  the  flag,  boys,  rally  once  again, 
Shouting  the  battle  cry  of  Freedom  I" 

These  two  incidents  afford  fitting  types  of  the  two  parties  arrayed 
against  each  other  in  this  country — the  former,  of  that  party  which 
scoffingly  terms  its  opponents  the  "  God  and  Morality  "  party;  and  the 
latter,  of  the  party  which  blazons  upon  its  banner  the  grand  old  prin- 
ciples of  the  founders  of  the  Republic,  and  with  faith  in  God,  and  the 
broadest  Christian  philanthropy,  seeks  to  mould  ours  into  a  nation  which 
shall  deserve  the  smiles  of  the  Almighty. 


JAMES    A      GARFIELD.  4OI 

Let  any  thoughtful,  patriotic  Christian  man  or  woman  contrast  the 
ideas  and  principles  shadowed  forth  in  these  lival  exhibitions  of  the 
two  parties,  and  then  ask,  Which  ought  to  prevail  and  shape  the  des- 
tiny of  this  heaven  favored  land  ?  From  which  of  these  two  types  of 
boys  are  to  come  the  future  legislators  and  governors  of  this  country, 
and  from  which  the  inmates  of  its  prisons  and  penitentiaries? 

We  trust  in  God  that  ours  IS  the  "  Higher  Law  "  party,  and  that 
the  time  is  far  distant  when  it  shall  cease  to  acknowledge  the  sacred 
and  binding  force  of  the  moral  principles  which  lie  at  the  foundation 
of  both  natural  and  revealed  religion.  May  it  never  cease  to  press 
home  to  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  all  its  friends  the  question,  •'  Is 
this  law  right?  Is  it  just?"  rather  than,  "Is  it  constitutional?"  and  if 
any  law  or  custom  or  regulation  violates  those  eternal  principles  which 
emanated  from  the  mind  of  God,  let  not  only  such  law  be  repealed, 
but  the  Constitution  which  sanctions  it  be  changed.  Let  us  be  proud, 
not  only  to  wear,  but  to  deserve  the  title  derisively  given  us  by  our 
enemies,  of  the  "  God  and  Morality  party." 

In  awakening  the  public  mind  to  the  importance  of 
free  schools,  and  helping  forward  the  establishment  of 
every  institution  whose  object  was  the  education  of  the 
people,  we  labored  earnestly.  At  that  time  the  city  of 
South  Bend  maintained  only  seventy  days  of  free  school 
during  the  year,  and  her  school-houses,  which  were  a 
discredit  to  her  citizens,  I  am  glad  to  know,  were  re- 
placed a  few  years  later  by  buildings  at  once  convenient 
and  attractive. 

During  the  two  years  of  my  residence  at  South  Bend 
I  had  the  pleasure  of  knowing  Mr.  Colfax  intimately, 
as,  when  at  home,  he  usually  spent  a  part  of  nearly 
every  day  at  our  office.  I  learned  to  respect  him  very 
highly,  as  an  upright,  high-principled  Christian  gentle- 
man, whose  heart  responded  with  quick  sympathy  to 
the  plea  of  human  suffering,  and  whose  hand  was  ever 
ready  to  aid  any  and  every  worthy  cause. 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 

FURTHER    LETTERS    FROM    MR.     GARFIELD. MY     REMOVAL 

IN    1867,   TO    DES    MOINES,    IOWA. — "BILL    AND    JOE." 

In  November,  1866,  I  had  purchased  of  my  partner 
another  one-fourth  of  the  paper,  and  thus  we  became 
owners  one-half  each.  We  were  quite  successful,  and 
during  the  summer  of  1867  other  parties  were  making 
arrangements  to  start  a  new  paper,  which  I  believed 
would  divide  the  business  so  as  to  make  it  unprofit- 
able. I  therefore  decided  to  sell  my  interest  to  the 
gentlemen  who  were  so  anxious  to  have  a  newspaper  at 
South  Bend,  and  my  partner,  Mr.  Beal,  reluctantly 
consented  to  the  arrangement.  The  sale  was  agreed 
upon  in  September,  and  consummated  November  1, 
1867,  and  in  the  issue  of  the  7th  I  bade  good-by  to  my 
friends,  as  follows : 

It  is  with  some  degree  of  regret  that  the  undersigned  announces 
the  fact  that  with  the  present  number  of  the  Register  he  surrenders  his 
position  of  editor.  For  two  years  he  has  labored  with  a  zeal  inspired 
by  earnest  conviction  to  defend  through  its  columns  the  great  principles 
of  the  party  of  Equal  Rights.  Always  proud  to  be  styled  a  Radical, 
he  has  sought  to  inculcate  that  kind  of  Radicalism  which  is  ever  found 
ready  to  defend  the  Right  and  combat  the  Wrong. 

For  the  many  kind  words  and  wishes  of  those  who  have  proved 
themselves  friends,  he  tenders  his  grateful  acknowledgments,  assuring 
them  that  their  encouragement  will  ever  be  cherished  by  him.  His  re- 
lations with  Mr.  Beal,  for  whom  he  has  learned  to  cherish  an  almost 
brotherly  affection,  have  been  of  the  most  pleasant  character,  and  ren- 
der his  withdrawal  from  the  establishment — a  withdrawal  dictated  solely 
402 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  403 

by  business  consideratious — and    the  sundering  of   associations  which 
have  been  so  intimate,  a  source  of  real  regret. 

Trusting  that  the  St.  Joseph  Valley  Register  may  long  continue  to 
prosper,  and  may  year  after  year  increase  in  ability  and  usefulness,  never 
faltering  in  its  defense  of  Truth  and  Right  so  long  as  Error  and  Wrong- 
find  champions,  he  bids  its  ten  thousands  readers  good  by. 

Corydon  E.  Fuller. 

Mr.  Colfax  wrote  me  the  following  letter,  when  he 
learned  of  my  sale  of  the  Register: 

South  Bend,  Ind.,  Sept.  13,  1867. 
My  Dear  Fuller : — lam  sorry  that  we  are  to  lose  you  editorially 
from  my  district,  where  you  have  done  such  efficient  service  for  the 
Right  so  many  years.  But  having  known  and  appreciated  you  so  long, 
and  valued  you  so  highly  as  a  friend  and  a  co-laborer  in  the  good  cause, 
you  will  carry  my  best  wishes  for  your  happiness  and  success  wherever 
you  go,  and  I  shall  always  be,  in  the  future  as  in  the  past. 
Very  truly  your  friend, 

Schuyler  Colfax. 

I  have  omitted  to  mention  that  the  Register  often 
had  occasion  to  mention  the  splendid  work  of  Mr. 
Garfield  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  where  he 
was  winning  laurels  each  session,  and  steadily  pressing 
forward  toward  the  proud  position  of  leadership  which 
in  after  years  he  so  grandly  maintained.  His  constant 
study  and  deep  research  into  the  great  questions  of 
statesmanship  fitted  him  for  intelligent  action  when 
called  upon  to  lead  smaller  men,  who  looked  only  at 
the  surface  of  proposed  measures,  and  studied  not  so 
much  to  be  right  as  to  be  popular. 

As  I  was  again  out  of  business,  and  saw  no  satis- 
factory opening  in  Northern  Indiana,  I  decided  to 
remove  to  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  where  myself  and  family 
arrived  Dec.  6,  1867.  I  have  omicted  to  mention  that 
before  we  left  Rochester,  in  1864,  Mr.  Lewis  J.  Brown 
and  his  family  had  removed  to  Des  Moines ;  and  thus  a 


404  REMINISCENCES    OF 

second  time  we  were  indebted  to  them  for  many  acts  of 
kindness. 

My  first  venture  in  Des  Moines  was  the  partial  pur- 
chase of  a  large  interest  in  a  temperance  newspaper, 
but  learning,  in  time  to  save  myself,  that  the  concern 
had  not  been  truly  represented,  my  investment  was 
changed  to  a  loan,  secured  upon  the  office.  I  worked 
as  editor  and  printer  until  the  spring  of  1869,  when  the 
collapse  which  I  had  foreseen  occurred,  and  the  ma- 
terial was  sold  under  the  chattel  mortgage.  I  lost 
some  money,  but  gained  some  valuable  experience. 
No  professional  reformer  would  be  able  again  to  inspire 
me  with  full  confidence  either  in  his  ability  or  his  hon- 
esty. 

The  summer  of  1868  I  spent  in  company  with  Mr. 
J.  M.  Coggeshall,  in  the  business  of  manufacturing 
stoneware,  at  a  factory  in  the  north  part  of  Des 
Moines,  having  purchased  a  half  interest  in  the  busi- 
ness. The  same  fall  I  went  into  a  job  printing  office, 
where  I  remained  until  March,  1869,  when  Lewis  J. 
Brown,  Esq.,  and  myself  purchased  of  Judge  John  G. 
Weeks  the  Pioneer  Abstracts  of  Polk  county,  Iowa, 
and  also  opened  a  real  estate  office  in  connection  with 
the  business  of  furnishing  abstracts. 

I  had  not  heard  from  Mr.  Garfield  for  some  time, 
and  when  the  poem,  "  Bill  and  Joe,"  by  Oliver  Wen- 
dell Holmes,  appeared  in  the  Atlantic  Monthly  for  Sep- 
tember, 1868,  I  sent  him  a  copy.  The  following  is  the 
poem : 

BILL  AND  JOE. 

Come,  dear  old  comrade,  you  and  I 
Will  steal  an  hour  from  days  gone  by, 
The  shining  days  when  life  was  new, 


JAMES    A      GARFIELD.  405 

And  all  was  bright  with  morning  dew, 

The  lusty  days  of  long  ago, 

When  you  were  Bill  and  I  was  Joe. 

Your  name  may  flaunt  a  titled  trail, 
Proud  as  a  cockerel's  rainbow  tail; 
And  mine  as  brief  appendix  wear 
As  Tarn  <  )'Shanter's  luckless  mare: 
To-day,  old  friend,  remember  still 
That  I  am  Joe  and  you  are  Bill. 

You  've  won  the  great  world's  envied  prize, 

And  grand  you  look  in  peoples'  eyes, 

With  IK)  X.  and  L  L.  D. 

In  big,  brave  letters  fair  to  see — 

Your  fist,  old  fellow  !  off  they  go ! — 

How  are  you,  Bill  ?     How  are  you,  Joe  ? 

You  've  worn  the  judge's  ermine  robe ; 
You  've  taught  your  name  to  half  the  globe ; 
You  've  sung  mankind  a  deathless  strain  ; 
You  've  made  the  dead  past  live  again : 
The  world  may  call  you  what  it  will, 
But  you  and  I  are  Joe  and  Bill. 

The  chaffing  young  folks  stare  and  say, 

"  See  those  old  duffers  bent  and  gray — 

They  talk  like  fellows  in  their  teens ! 

Mad,  poor  old  boys  !     That 's  what  it  means  " — 

And  shake  their  heads ;  they  little  know 

The  throbbing  hearts  of  Bill  and  Joe — 

How  Bill  forgets  his  hour  of  pride, 
While  Joe  sits  smiling  at  his  side ; 
How  Joe,  in  spite  of  time's  disguise, 
Finds  the  old  schoolmate  in  his  eyes — 
Those  calm,  stern  eyes  that  melt  and  fill 
As  Joe  looks  fondly  up  at  Bill. 

Ah,  pensive  scholar,  what  is  fame? 
A  fitful  tongue  of  leaping  flame ; 
A  giddy  whirlwind's  fickle  gust, 


406  REMINISCENCES    OF 

That  lifts  a  pinch  of  mortal  dust ; 
A  few  swift  years,  and  who  can  show 
Which  dust  was  Bill  and  which  was  Joe  ? 

The  weary  idol  takes  his  stand, 

Holds  out  his  bruised  and  aching  hand, 

While  gaping  thousands  come  and  go — 

How  vain  it  seems,  this  empty  show  ! 

Till  all  at  once  his  pulses  thrill ; — 

'T  is  poor  old  Joe's  "  God  bless  you,  Bill !" 

And  shall  we  breathe  in  happier  spheres 
The  names  that  pleased  our  mortal  ears; 
In  some  sweet  lull  of  harp  and  song 
For  earth-born  spirits  none  too  long, 
Just  whispering  of  the  world  below 
Where  this  was  Bill  and  that  was  Joe  ? 

No  matter;  while  our  home  is  here 
No  sounding  name  is  half  so  dear ; 
When  fades  at  length  our  lingering  day, 
Who  cares  what  pompous  tombstones  say  ? 
Read  on  the  hearts  that  love  us  still 
Hie  jacet  Joe.     Hie  jacet  Bill. 

On  the  receipt  of  the  poem,  Mr.  Garfield  at  once 
sent  me  a  copy  of  his  immortal  oration  delivered  at  Ar- 
lington, Virginia,  on  the  occasion  of  strewing  flowers 
on  the  graves  of  Union  soldiers,  May  30,  1868,  and 
wrote  on  the  cover : 

Dear  Corydon: — The  verses  from  Holmes,  which  you  sent  me, 
touched  a  thousand  old  and  precious  memories, 

Ever  yours, 

J.  A.  Garfield. 

My  next  letter  from  him  was  the  following : 

Hiram,  Ohio,  May  10,  1869. 
My  Dear  Corydon: — Your  letter  of  April  17th  was  forwarded  from 
Washington  and  came  duly  to  hand.     I  am  glad  to  hear  of  your  health 
and  prosperity,  and  wish  it  were  in  my  power  to  visit  you  this  summer. 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  407 

I  have  thought  I  might  do  so,  and  shall  be  most  happy  if  I  can.  I 
don't  yet  know  whether  I  shall  be  able  to  take  the  trip  to  California  or 
not.  I  am  chairman  of  the  committee  on  the  next  Census,  How  long 
the  work  will  keep  me,  I  can  not  tell, 

I  wish  I  were  able  to  purchase  some  of  the  land  of  which  you 
speak.  I  have  thought  I  might  find  some  person  who  would  furnish 
the  means  and  join  me  in  a  purchase.  I  will  try,  and  if  you  have  any 
fine  lots  come  into  your  hands,  which  you  think  would  be  pretty  sure  to 
make  some  profit  by  buying  and  holding  awhile,  if  you  will  send  me  a 
statement  about  them,  I  may  be  able  to  secure  a  purchaser  for  you. 

I  am  here  at  the  old  place,  so  full  of  dear  old  memories.  Crete 
sits  near  me  and  our  three  little  ones  are  playing  about  us.  The  deli- 
cious spring  weather  of  Hiram  gives  iragrance  and  balm  to  the  air,  and 
I  believe  if  you  were  here  we  could  stroll  out  into  the  old  familiar 
woods  and  feel  as  we  did  seventeen  years  ago.  How  delightful  such  a 
visit  would  be  to  my  heart !  It  would  roll  back  the  years  of  toil  and 
trouble,  storm  and  tempest,  that  have  fallen  upon  us,  at  least  for  a  time, 
into  the  sweet  sunshine  of  those  early  clays.  It  is  a  precious  thing  for 
me  to  treasure,  this  friendship  of  ours,  which  was  formed  in  those  days 
of  unsel.'ish  life,  before  we  had  been  meeting  the  ugly  and  hard  col- 
lisions of  life.  Let  us  live  in  the  light  of  it,  and  in  the  hope  and  faith 
of  a  better  life  beyond  the  storm  and  the  tempest  of  this.  Crete  joins 
me  in  love  to  Mary  and  yourself.  Ever  yours, 

James. 

The  reader  of  these  Reminiscences  will  probably 
be  glad  to  know  that  with  the  close  of  the  year  1869  I 
discontinued  my  daily  journal,  which  I  had  kept  up 
without  intermission  from  July,  185 1,  to  that  time. 
As  a  consequence,  my  few  remaining  articles  will  con- 
tain less  of  an  autobiographical  character. 

The  last  of  December,  1 869,  I  received  the  follow- 
ing letter : 

Washington,  Dec.  24,  1869. 
My  Dear  Corydon: — Yours  on  the  nth  inst.  came  to  hand  while  I 
was  in  the  midst  of  the  census  bill,  which  kept  me  on  my  feet,  or  con- 
stantly on  the  watch,  for  more  than  ten  days.  It  passed  the  House  in 
pretty  near  the  same  shape  I  reported  it,  but  the  Senate  did  not  have 
time  to  act  on  it  before  the  holidays.     I  have  no  doubt,  however,  that 


408  REMINISCENCES    OF 

it  will  be  a  law  by  the  middle  of  January.  I  should  be  very  glad  to  see 
you  appointed  District  Superintendent  for  your  district,  and  will  do  all 
I  can  without  interfering  with  the  right  of  your  Representative  in  the 
matter.  You  had  better  write  to  him  and  refer  to  me  as  your  friend  and 
classmate  and  tell  him  I  will  give  him  any  help  he  may  need. 

Crete  and  the  children  are  well;  mother  is  with  us  and  is  well.  I 
have  run  in  debt  for  a  small  house  here,  and  by  that  means  am  saving 
a  considerable  share  of  what  I  should  have  to  pay  in  the  shape  of  rent. 
My  work  has  grown  more  heavy  and  complicated  every  year  since  I 
came  here,  and  I  sometimes  grow  very  weary  of  public  life,  and  long 
for  some  quiet  place,  away  from  the  roar  and  noise  of  political  strife^ 
I  wish  we  could  meet  and  have  one  of  our  old  fashioned  visits.  I  hope 
you  will  write  me  again  and  let  me  know  how  you  are  doing.  Is  there 
a  Disciple  Church  near  you?  We  have  a  small  church  here  and  have 
bought  a  meeting-house. 

Crete  and  mother  join  me  in  love  to  you  and  Mary. 
As  ever,  yours, 

J.  A.  Garfield. 

As  will  be  seen  from  the  two  foregoing  letters,  Mr. 
Garfield  had  taken  great  interest  in  the  Census  bill. 
He  was  anxious  to  have  a  much  more  comprehensive 
work  done  in  the  census  of  1870  than  had  ever  before 
been  attempted,  and  had  spent  much  time  and  labor  in 
perfecting  the  bill.  If  it  had  become  a  law  it  would 
have  furnished  such  a  mass  of  facts  as  the  real  states- 
man needs  in  shaping  the  legislation  of  a  great  people. 
As  he  states,  under  his  personal  charge  it  passed  the 
House,  but  he  had  overrated  the  capacity  of  the  Sen- 
ate to  comprehend  its  many  excellencies,  and  it  failed 
to  pass  that  body.  Ten  years  later  Congress  had  made 
some  progress  in  its  knowledge  of  the  needs  of  civili- 
zation, and  adopted  pretty  nearly  the  bill  defeated  in 

1869.  Had  his  bill  become  the  law  for  the  census  of 

1870,  perhaps  we  might  have  been  saved  from  the 
absurd  claim  of  some  of  our  economic  writers, 
based    upon    its    figures,    that    the    decade   from    i860 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  409 

-to   1870  was  the    most    prosperous    in    American   his- 
tory. 

I  was  not  anxious  for  the  position  of  District  Super- 
intendent, as  I  was  busily  employed,  and  therefore 
took  no  pains  to  secure  it.  It  had  no  doubt  been 
promised  long  before  to  some  political  "worker,"  as 
the  reward  for  party  services,  so  that  it  was  well  for  me 
not  to  be  dependent  upon  such  precarious  chances. 
Had  Mr.  Garfield's  bill  passed,  I  should  have  been 
proud  to  aid  in  carrying  out  his  comprehensive  plans, 
but  with  its  defeat  I  lost  all  interest  in  the  matter. 

It  was  more  than  a  year  before  I  again  heard 
directly  from  my  friend,  though  I  received  all  his 
speeches  under  his  own  frank  and  nearly  always  sent  by 
his  own  hand. 

About  the  middle  of  May,  1871,  I  received  the  fol- 
lowing : 

Hiram,  Ohio,  May  11,  1871. 

My  Dear  Corydon : — We  reached  home  night  before  last  and  the 
same  evening  had  the  pleasure  of  reading  your  welcome  letter  of  April 
27,  which  was  awaiting  me.  I  can  not  realize  that  twenty  years  have 
passed  since  you  and  I  were  students  here,  and  were  walking  arm  in 
arm  over  the  fields  which  I  now  see  from  my  window.  I  think  it  is  al- 
ways a  surprise  to  any  one  to  grow  old.  I  never  see  a  young  man  who 
was  a  little  boy  when  I  was  a  young  man  without  a  feeling  of  surprise 
and  wonder  that  I  can  be  so  old,  while  I  do  not  feel  in  myself  any 
sense  of  age,  more  than  I  felt  when  I  sprained  my  ankle  when  you  and 
I  were  running  in  the  woods  west  of  the  Seminary.  I  wish  we  could 
ramble  over  the  old  paths  together  this  afternoon,  and  live  for  a  few- 
hours  in  the  calm,  beautiful  past.  I  look  back  upon  the  world  we  lived 
in  twenty  years  ago  as  an  enchanted  land,  where  life,  especially  its  fu- 
ture, was  all  tinged  with  the  hues  of  a  rose  ;  where  friendships  were 
neither  commercial,  professional  nor  political.  The  friendships  of  those 
■days  have  never  failed  me,  and  they  grow  brighter  with  advancing 
years. 

I  live  in  the  second  house  west  of  the  house  which  Sutton  Hayden 
built  and  occupied  when  you  were  here,  and  within   ten  rods  of   the 


4IO  REMINISCENCES    OF 

house  where  you  and  Ceyion  and  I  roomed,  when  we  messed  with  the 
Smith  girls,  your  cousins.  The  place  would  be  familiar  to  you,  though 
the  trees  are  large,  and  some  new  houses  are  built.  We  have  four 
children— three  boys  and  one  girl.  The  oldest,  Harry  Augustus,  wilL 
be  eight  years  old  in  October  next.  The  second,  James  Rudolph,  will 
be  six  in  October  next.  The  third,  Mary,  is  four,  and  the  fourth,  Irwin 
McDowell,  is  nearly  ten  months  old.  My  mother,  now  seventy  years 
of  age,  lives  with  us,  both  here  and  in  Washington. 

In  addition  to  my  congressional  work,  I  have  kept  up  and  increased 
my  law  practice,  in  the  State  courts  and  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States,  and  have  from  that  source  realized  about  $2,000  a  year 
for  the  last  four  years.  In  1865  I  made  a  sucessful  deal  in  the  purchase 
and  sale  of  oil  lands  by  which  I  realized  about  $6,000.  By  prudent  in- 
vestments and  careful  economy  I  have  got  what  is  probably  worth  about 
$2;, 000,  and  have  besides  given  some  help  to  my  brother  and  sisters. 
My  brother  Thomas  is  on  a  farm  in  Ottawa  county,  Michigan,  not 
far  from  Grand  Rapids,  and  my  sisters  live  in  Solon,  Ohio.  Crete's 
father  and  mother  are  still  living  it  Hiram.  Her  brother  John  died  in 
the  army,  1862.  Her  brother  Joseph  is  unmarried,  and  living  at  home. 
Her  sister  Nellie  is  married  and  lives  in  Akron. 

I  wish  you  and  Mary  would  come  here  on  th  •  22nd  of  June,  when 
we  are  to  have  a  grand  reunion  of  the  old  students,  Can  't  you  come?' 
The  school  and  church  are  doing  well  and  have  fair  prospects  of  long 
life. 

I  am  ashamed  to  tell  you  that  last  November  I  was  in  Iowa  City 
and  did  not  go  to  see  you.  I  tried  to  do  so,  but  fuund  it  impossible 
and  so  did  not  write  to  you.  I  own  a  farm  in  Johnson  county,  Iowa, 
and  went  to  see  it.  I  hope  some  day  to  visit  you,  and  I  hope  you  will 
never  come  so  near  me  without  calling. 

Write  to  me  whenever  the  spirit  moves  you,  and  be  assured  that 
I  am,  as  ever,  Your  friend  and  brother, 

J.  A.  Garfield. 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 

CREDIT     MOBILIER     SCANDAL. — LETTERS     FROM    MR.     GAR- 
FIELD   AND    MR.    COLFAX. 

Every  word  of  the  many  letters  of  Mr.  Garfield 
given  in  the  previous  chapters  of  these  Reminiscences 
was  written  by  his  own  hand.  But  those  given  here- 
after were  partly  from  the  hand  of  a  stenographer. 
Such  is  the  following  : 

Washington,  D.  C,  Oct.  25,  1871. 

My  Dear  Corydon  : — I  am  on  a  sentimental  journey,  taken  for  my 
mother's  sake,  and  now  nearly  ended.  One  week  ago  last  Monday,  my 
mother,  her  only  sister,  Mrs.  Boynton,  and  Silas  Boynton,  my  cousin, 
whom  you  know,  left  Cleveland  for  the  East.  We  stopped  for  a  day 
at  Niagara  Falls,  and  passed  thence,  by  way  of  Schenectady  and  Sara- 
toga, New  York  and  Rutland,  Vt.,  to  the  town  of  Keene,  in  Cheshire 
county,  New  Hampshire.  There,  turning  aside  from  the  railroad,  we 
went  twelve  miles  i  to  the  fastnesses  of  the  New  Hampshire  mountains 
to  the  spot  where  mother  and  her  sister  were  born.  Mother  is  seventy 
years  old,  and  Aunt  Althea  is  sixty-six.  They  left  their  birthplace 
sixty-two  years  ago,  and  had  not  seen  it  since.  On  reaching  the  place, 
mother  remembered  every  old  landmark;  pointed  out  the  old  houses, 
giving  the  names  of  the  people  who  lived  in  them  with  all  the  dis- 
tinctness that  we  might  have  expected  had  she  left  them  a  week  ago. 
We  found  the  old  house  where  they  were  born  with  the  same  clap- 
boards still  on  it.  It  gave  me  a  strange  feeling  to  see  my  little  girl 
mother  visiting  the  place  where  she  had  played  sixty-two  years  ago; 
showing  me  the  little  pond  where  she  had  waded ;  the  trees  where  she 
had  gathered  apples,  and  the  place  where  she  went  to  school. 

From  there  we  visited  Boston,  went  thence  by  Fall  River  steamer 
to  New  York  City,  and  then  came  here,  arriving  at  10  o'clock  last 
night.      Crete  had    forwarded    a   large   package   of  letters,  and   among 


412  REMINISCENCES    OF 

them  I  found  yours  of  the  14th.  As  I  am  to  stop  here  but  a  day,  and 
must  be  very  busy  for  two  weeks,  I  use  the  phonography  of  a  friend 
rather  than  my  own  hand  in  answering  your  letter. 

1  need  not  tell  you  that  I  am  always  glad  to  hear  of  your  success, 
and  to  know  that  the  old  flame  burns  brightly  on  the  altar  of  our 
friendship.  I  hope  the  time  may  not  be  very  far  distant  when  I  can 
visit  you  in  your  Western  home. 

You  are  at  liberty  to  refer  to  me  always  and  everywhere  as  a 
voucher  for  you  and  your  trustworthiness.  I  inclose  a  note  which  you 
may  use  in  any  way  you  please. 

I  shall  reach  home  in  a  few  days,  and  shall  hope  to  find  the  fam- 
ily as  I  left  them,  well  and  hearty.  They  would  all  send  love  to  you 
and  Mary,  were  they  here. 

As  ever,  your  friend  and  brother, 

J.  A.  Garfield. 

It  may  be  necessary  to  explain  that  in  the  fall 
■of  1 87 1,  when  the  above  letter  was  written,  I  was  a 
partner  in  the  firm  of  Fuller,  Heartwell  &  Coffin,  and 
we  were  desirous  of  obtaining  funds  from  the  East  for 
the  purpose  of  making  loans  to  farmers  and  others  in 
the  vicinity  of  Des  Moines,  and  I  therefore  solicited  a 
letter  of  recommendation.  The  following  was  the  note 
to  which  he  referred  : 

To  whom  it  may  concern  : 

Corydon  K.  Fuller,  of  the  firm  of  Fuller,  Heartwell  &  Coffin,  Des 
Moines,  Iowa,  is  an  old  and  intimate  friend  of  mine.  I  have  known 
him  for  more  than  twenty  years,  and  I  take  great  pleasure  in  com- 
mending him  as  a  man  of  sterling  integrity,  who  will  perform,  to  the 
utmost,  all  that  he  promises  or  undertakes. 

Respectfully,  J.  A.  Garfield. 

House  of  Representatives,      \ 
Washington,  D.  C.,  Oct.   25,   1871.  J 

A  year  later,  after  the  organization  of  the  Iowa 
Loan  and  Trust  Company,  I  again  asked  his  permission 
to  refer  to  him  in  our  circulars,  etc.,  and  received  the 
following  reply : 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  413 

Washington,  D.  C,  Jan.  6,  1S73. 

My  Dear  Corydon  : — Yours  of  the  3d  inst.  is  received.  It  is  a  long 
time  since  I  have  heard  from  you,  but  I  hope  you  will  get  time  soon  to 
write  me  in  full.  I  infer,  from  the  substance  ot  your  letter,  that  you 
are  doing  well,  which,  of  course,  rejoices  me. 

Of  course  you  are  at  liberty  always  to  refer  to  me,  in  any  matter 
where  my  recommendation  will  be  of  the  least  service. 

We   have  a   new  baby  in  our  house,  which  makes  four  boys  and 

one  girl. 

As  ever,  yours, 

J.  A.  Garfield. 

During  the  autumn  of  1872  the  charge  that  Mr. 
Garfield  and  some  dozen  other  members  of  Congress 
had  been  interested  in  the  stupendous  fraud  perpetrated 
in  the  name  of  the  Credit  Mobilier  Company  was  first 
made  public.  Upon  the  meeting  of  Congress,  Hon. 
James  G.  Blaine,  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, who  was  one  of  the  parties  accused,  called  to 
the  chair  Hon.  S.  S.  Cox,  of  New  York,  and  moved 
the  appointment  of  a  committee  to  investigate  the 
charge,  which  was  done,  and  during  the  winter  and 
spring  the  whole  matter  was  probed  to  the  bottom.  In 
their  report  the  committee  stated  that  they  found 
"  nothing  in  the  conduct  or  motives  of  either  of  these 
members  in  taking  this  stock  that  calls  for  any  recom- 
mendation by  the  committee  of  the  House,"  having 
previously  named  Mr.  Garfield  and  several  others 
against  whom  charges  had  been  made.  They,  how- 
ever, recommended  the  expulsion  from  the  House  of 
Oakes  Ames  and  James  Brooks. 

The  testimony  against  Mr.  Garfield  was  very  con- 
flicting :  Oakes  Ames  swearing  that  he  agreed  to  buy 
ten  shares  of  stock,  though  not  claiming  that  any  ex- 
planation was  made  as  to  its  true  character ;  while  Mr. 
Garfield  swore  positively  that  he  never  agreed  to  buy 


414  REMINISCENCES    OF 

any  of  it ;  that  he  never  saw  a  certificate,  or  received  a 
dollar  on  account  of  it. 

After  the  report  of  the  committee,  Mr.  Garfield 
prepared  a  brief  statement  of  the  whole  affair,  giving 
all  the  testimony  against  himself,  as  well  as  his  defense. 
It  consisted  of  twenty-eight  pages,  and  closed  as  fol- 
lows : 

It  there  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  who  is  willing  to  believe 
that  for  $329  I  have  bartered  away  my  good  name,  and  to  falsehood 
have  added  perjury,  these  pages  are  not  addressed  to  him.  If  there  be 
one  who  thinks  that  any  part  of  my  public  life  has  been  gauged  on  so 
low  a  level  as  these  charges  would  place  it,  I  do  not  address  him — I 
address  those  who  are  willing  to  believe  that  it  is  possible  for  a  man  to 
serve  the  public  without  personal  dishonor.  1  have  endeavored,  in 
this  review,  to  point  out  the  means  by  which  the  managers  of  a  corpo- 
ration, wearing  the  garb  of  honorable  industry,  have  robbed  and  de- 
frauded a  great  national  enterprise,  and  attempted  by  cunning  and  de- 
ception, for  selfish  ends,  to  enlist  in  its  interest  those  who  would  have 
been  the  first  to  crush  the  attempt  had  their  objects  been  known. 

If  any  of  the  scheming  corporations  or  corrupt  rings  that  have 
done  so  much  to  disgrace  the  country  by  their  attempts  to  control  its 
legislation  have  ever  found  in  me  a  conscious  supporter  or  ally  in  any 
dishonorable  scheme,  they  are  at  full  liberty  to  disclose  it.  In  the  dis- 
cussion of  the  many  grave  and  difficult  questions  of  public  policy 
which  have  occupied  the  thoughts  of  the  nation  during  the  last 
twelve  years,  I  have  borne  some  part,  and  I  confidently  appeal  to  the 
public  records  for  a  vindication  of  my  conduct. 

I  lost  no  time  in  writing  to  Mr.  Garfield  to  assure 
him  of  my  sympathy  and  unshaken  faith  in  his  integ- 
rity, and  in  reply  received  the  following  letter : 

Hiram,  O.,  June  ir,  1873. 
My  Dear  Corydon  .'—Your  welcome  letter  of  the  3d  inst.  came 
duly  to  hand.  I  knew  that  you  would  require  more  testimony  than 
newspaper  scandal  to  convince  you  that  I  had  done  anything  of  which 
my  old  friends  need  to  be  ashamed,  and  I  am  glad  to  know  that  the 
reading  of  my  defense  has  justified  your  faith  in  me.  We  are  living  in 
an  era  of  slander  and  personal  assault,  and   I   suppose   that   the  Provi- 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  415 

dence  that  presides  over  our  lives  saw  that  I  needed  the  discipline  of 
trial  and  adversity  for  my  own  culture.  At  any  rate,  I  am  trying  to 
receive  it  with  that  view,  and  do  not  propose  to  be  crushed  or  made 
sour  by  it. 

I  do  not  yet  know  what  my  summer  is  to  be.  I  have  just  now  on 
hand  several  engagements  to  lecture  and  to  write  a  political  article  for 
a  new  magazine  lately  established  in  Washington,  called  the  Republic. 
When  these  things  are  off  my  hands  I  shall  try  to  get  a  little  rest,  and 
I  would  be  very  glad  to  make  a  trip  to  your  home.  Perhaps  I  can  do 
so.  Please  keep  me  advised  of  your  movements,  so  that  I  may  know- 
where  you  are.  If  you  go  East,  you  will  not  fail  to  bring  Mary  this 
way  and  make  us  a  visit. 

I  will  send  copies  of  my  defense  to  Dudley  and  Brown,  as  you 
suggest.  There  has  been  a  great  storm  here  in  Ohio,  over  the  salary 
question,  but  I  think  the  tide  has  turned.  The  little  set  of  malignants 
in  Warren  have  been  opposed  to  me  for  many  years,  but  without  suc- 
cess.    I  do  n't  think  they  can  kill  me  off  now. 

In  memory  of  our  past,  and  in  the  faith  and  hope  of  the  future,  I 
am,  as  ever,  Your  friend, 

J.  A.  Garfield. 

The  above  letter  is  in  his  own  handwriting.  C.  A. 
Dudley,  Esq.,  of  Des  Moines,  and  his  former  partner, 
the  late  Levi  J.  Brown,  Esq.,  are  the  persons  alluded 
to  as  "Dudley"  and  "Brown."  Both  were  from 
Portage  county,  Ohio,  and  were  personal  acquaint- 
ances of  Mr.  Garfield,  and  students  in  the  Eclectic  In- 
stitute at  Hiram,  while  he  was  its  President. 

When  it  is  known  that  Mr.  Garfield  voted  steadily 
against  the  increase  of  salary  and  refused  to  accept  the 
back  pay  which  it  gave  him,  it  will  be  seen  how  su- 
premely mean  and  contemptible  men  may  become  in 
their  efforts  to  destroy  a  successful  rival.  It  is  gratifying 
to  know  that  all  such  malicious  and  cowardly  opposition 
was  fruitless,  and  injured  only  those  who  resorted  to  it. 

Soon  after  the  close  of  the  investigation  by  the  Con- 
gressional committee  above  refered  to,   I  wrote  an  ar- 


41 6  REMINISCENCES    OF 

tide  for  the  Des  Moines  Republican,  expressing  my  un- 
shaken faith  in  the  integrity  of  Vice  President  Colfax, 
who  was  among  those  charged  with  complicity  in  the 
Credit  Mobilier  fraud.  It  was  dated  March  24,  1873, 
and  from  it  I  venture  to  extract  the  following : 

For  twenty-five  years  Schuyler  Colfax  has  been  prominent  before- 
the  public.  From  a  humble  position,  without  the  aid  of  powerful 
friends,  and  with  few  advantages  for  education,  he  steadily  won  his 
way  from  the  printing  office  to  the  Vice-pi  esidency.  For  six  years  the 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  an  honor  which  no  other  of 
our  statesmen  save  Henry  Clay  has  ever  received,  he  enjoyed  the  uni- 
versal respect  and  confidence  of  his  associates  of  all  political  parties. 
During  the  terrible  years  of  war,  when  Death  brooded  over  our  hos- 
pitals, and  the  Grave  was  gorged  with  slain  heroes,  no  hand  in  all  this 
wide  land  of  ours  was  more  ready  to  give  for  the  relief  of  the  sufferings, 
which  are  the  inevitable  accompaniments  of  the  battle-field.  .  .  . 
The  writer  has  a  distinct  recollection  of  more  than  one  check,  with 
not  the  initials  only,  but  the  full  name  of  Schuyler  Colfax  attached  to 
it,  calling  for  hundreds  of  dollars,  and  accompanied  with  directions  to 
apply  the  proceeds  to  relieve  the  wants  of  the  widows  and  orphans  of 
our  dead  soldiers,  or  to  minister  to  the  sick  and  suffering  heroes  in  the 
prison  or  the  hospital.  While  many  of  those  who  were  active  in  the 
Union  cause  had  no  scruples  as  to  cotton  speculations  and  other 
devices  for  profit  afforded  by  the  war,  Mr.  Colfax  came  home  to  his 
friends  in  South  Bend,  when  the  conflict  was  done,  worth  not  one  dol- 
lar more  than  on  that  April  morning  when  the  first  shot  was  fired  at 
Sumter. 

And  pray,  what  is  the  gist  of  the  charges  which  the  God-forsaken 
demagogues  have  trumped  up  against  him  ?  "Tell  it  not  in  Gath !" 
the  lie  has  not  even  the  merit  of  decent  plausibility.  One  whose  spot- 
less name  the  breath  of  calumny  has  never  assailed,  and  whose  whole 
life  was  a  living  proof  of  the  impossibility  of  such  a  deed,  had  sold  his 
character,  bartered  the  reputation  of  a  lifetime  and  leagued  himself 
with  thieves,  for  the  pitiful  sum  of  $1,200. 

The  estimation  in  which  Mr.  Colfax  is  held  by  his  friends  among 
whom  he  has  lived  from  boyhood,  is  shown  by  the  reception  given  him 
on  his  return  home  from  Washington  a  few  days  since.  So  hearty,  so 
spontaneous  a  greeting,  and  such  expressions  of  abiding  trust  and  un- 
shaken confidence,  were  almost  enough  to  pay  him  for  the  abuse  which 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  417 

has  been  heaped  upon  him.  The  oaths  of  as  many  men  of  the  Oakes 
Ames  stamp  as  would  people  a  hemisphere,  with  the  added  vilification 
of  all  the  scribbling  miscreants  who  disgrace  journalism,  would  not  be 
sufficient  to  convince  those  who  know  Schuyler  Colfax,  as  we  who  were 
his  neighbors  and  friends  know  him,  that  he  would  be  guilty  of  a  dis- 
honorable or  mean  action. 

My  article  was  widely  copied,  and  a  few  days  after 
its  publication  at  Ues  Moines,  reached  Mr.  Colfax, 
whereupon  he  wrote  me  the  following  touching  letter, 
now  first  made  public  : 

South  Bend,  Ind.,  April  3,  1873. 
[Not  for  publication.] 

My  Dear  Friend : — I  have  just  read  in  to-day's  Register  your  kind 
and  cordial  words  of  sympathy,  esteem  and  confidence,  copied  from 
the  Des  Moines  Republican.  Please  accept  my  grateful  thanks  for 
them.  Till  some  fierce  and  pitiless  storm  of  calumny  and  falsification 
bursts  unexpectedly  upon  you,  you  can  not  realize  how  welcome  are 
such  words  of  vindication  as  yours.  I  have  had  faith  that  He  who 
knoweth  all  things  would  in  His  own  good  time  make  my  entire  inno- 
cence of  this  wicked  and  cruel  charge  manifest  to  all. 
Always  as  of  old, 

Yours  truly, 

Schuyler  Colfax. 

Now  that  Mr.  Colfax  sleeps  peacefully  in  the  cem- 
etery at  South  Bend,  among  the  people  who  so  loved 
and  trusted  him,  and  whom  he  so  faithfully  served,  for 
all  the  best  years  of  his  life ;  now  that  he  is  beyond  the 
reach  of  the  cruel  and  malevolent  enemies  who,  jealous 
of  his  popularity,  sought  for  their  own  base  ends  to  rob 
him  of  his  good  name  and  shroud  in  infamy  the  luster 
of  his  fame,  I  feel  that  his  letter  may  be  given  public- 
ity with  no  violation  of  confidence. 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 

THE    CURRENCY    QUESTION. DEATH    OF    MR.     GARFIELD'S 

SON. ELECTION    IN    1 876. 

The  profound  research  and  exhaustive  study 
which  Mr.  Garfield  was  accustomed  to  give  to  the 
great  questions  of  statesmanship  upon  which  he  was 
called  to  act  have  been  recognized  by  all  his  biog- 
raphers. While  the  average  member  of  Congress  was 
satisfied  to  give  careful  attention  to  the  distribution  of 
post-offices  and  to  rewarding  the  faithful  henchmen  to 
whom  he  was  indebted  for  his  position,  and  whose  aid 
he  hoped  to  secure  for  the  future,  and  knew  little  and 
cared  less  for  the  great  principles  which  lie  at  the 
foundation  of  government,  Mr.  Garfield  devoted  all  his 
splendid  abilities  to  the  mastery  of  those  principles  and 
their  crystallization  into  statutes  which  should  promote 
the  wealth  and  greatness  of  his  country. 

During  the  war  the  expenditures  of  the  Govern- 
ment had  been  so  enormous,  and  the  disbursement  of 
promises  in  lieu  of  money  so  great,  that  thoughtless 
people  mistook  the  reckles's  waste  for  prosperity,  and 
wondered  why  it  could  not  always  last.  As  w^ell  might 
one  stand  some  stormy  midnight  by  his  blazing  home, 
and  while  warming  himself  in  the  heat  created  by  the 
ruin,  rejoice  over  the  transient  comfort  afforded,  all  for- 
getful of  the  morrow  when  he  should  shiver  beside  the 

cold  and  desolate  ashes. 

418 


1 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  419 

It  may  seem  amazing  that  men  of  apparent  sense  in 
other  things  seemed  honestly  to  believe  everybody 
might  be  made  rich  by  the  unlimited  disbursement  of 
the  Government's  paper  promises,  which  could  not  by 
any  possibility  ever  be  redeemed.  A  great  brood  of 
these  crazy  inflationists  appeared,  not  only  among  the 
people  at  large,  but  in  the  halls  of  Congress,  who  were 
so  ignorant  of  all  the  financial  history  of  not  only  our 
own  but  of  all  lands  that  they  clamored  for  a  debased 
and  depreciated  currency,  and  pretended  that  they  did 
so  in  the  interest  of  the  poor !  Demagogues  at  once 
recognized  their  golden  opportunity,  and  were  willing 
to  serve  the  dear  people  for  a  consideration. 

Mr.  Garfield  foresaw  the  inevitable  conflict  upon 
this  great  and  vital  question,  and  for  many  months 
gave  it  the  most  careful  and  unremitting  study.  He 
familiarized  himself  with  the  whole  history  of  irredeem- 
able paper  currency,  not  only  in  America  but  in  other 
countries,  and  arrived  at  the  conclusion,  which  every 
thorough  student  of  financial  matters  has  arrived  at, 
that  a  currency  of  uncertain  and  unstable  value  is  a 
curse  to  any  country,  and  results  invariably  in  the  rob- 
bery of  the  poor.  He  made  a  number  of  speeches 
during  1873  and  1874  on  the  currency  question,  and 
his  arguments  in  favor  of  uniformity  of  value  in  all  our 
money,  whether  gold,  silver  or  paper,  have  never  been 
answered,  and  never  will  be,  until  Congress  can  change 
the  eternal  principles  that  lie  back  of  all  constitutions 
and  statutes. 

The  speech  of  April  8,  1874,  on  "Currency  and 
the  Public  Faith,"  is  impregnable  in  its  positions.  It 
begins  like  a  sermon,  and  his  texts  are  from  the  Book 
of  God:    "Thou  shalt  have  a  perfect  and  just  weight; 


420  REMINISCENCES    OF 

a  perfect  and  just  measure  shalt  thou  have,  that  thy 
days  may  be  lengthened  in  the  land  which  the  Lord 
thy  God  giveth  thee."  "A  false  balance  is  an  abom- 
ination to  the  Lord,  but  a  just  weight  is  his  delight." 
I  quote  only  a  few  sentences  : 

How  many  years  of  disastrous  experience  are  needed  to  enforce 
the  lesson  that  there  are  immutable  laws  of  nature  which  no  Congress 
can  safely  ignore,  and  which  no  legislation  can  overturn  ?  Un- 
derlying all  exchange,  all  trade,  all  active  industry,  there  are  three  ele- 
ments which  can  not  be  ignored,  elements  that  enter  into  every  con- 
tract, and  are  of  the  essence  of  every  exchange ;  elements  that  are 
recognized  in  the  National  Constitution. 

They  are  the  measure  of  extension,  whether  of  length,  breadth, 
depth  or  capacity ;  the  measure  of  weight,  which  is  intimately  related 
to  that  of  extension;  and  the  measure  of  value,  which  is  closely 
related  to  both.  The  Constitution  empowers  Congress  to  fix  the 
standards  of  weights,  of  measures,  and  of  values.  But  Congress  can 
not  create  extension,  nor  weight,  nor  value.  It  can  measure  what  exists  ; 
it  can  declare  and  subdivide  and  name  a  standard  ;  but  it  can  not  make 
length  of  that  which  has  no  length  ;  it  can  not  make  weight  of  that 
which  has  no  weight ;  it  can  not  make  value  of  that  which  has  no  value. 

One  would  almost  say  that  these  clear-cut  state- 
ments of  immutable  truth  were  axioms,  and  yet  multi- 
tudes still  delude  themselves  with  the  amazing  fallacy 
that  Congress  can  create  value  out  of  nothing ! 

During  the  winter  of  1873-4,  Capt.  M.  T.  Russell, 
who  had  served  under  Gen.  Garfield,  in  the  51st  Indi- 
ana, was  threatened  with  removal  from  a  position  he 
had  held  for  some  time  under  the  Government,  and  I 
wrote  to  his  former  commander  to  secure  his  assistance 
in  defeating  the  schemes  of  the  Captain's  enemies,  and 
received  the  following  in  reply : 

Washington,  D.  C,  Jan.  8,  1874. 
Dear  Corydon : — Yours  of  the  3d  inst.  came  to  hand  yesterday.      I 
am  glad  to  hear  that  you  are  doing  well,  in  the  midst  of  these  pinching 
times,  when  almost  every  business  interest  is  suffering  heavily. 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  42  I 

I  wrote  the  instructions  for  the  expedition  of  Col.  Streight,  which 
resulted  in  the  capture  of  Capt.  Russell,  and  anything  I  can  do  for 
him,  consistent  with  courtesy  to  his  Representatives,  in  the  House,  and 
Senate,  I  will  cheerfully  do.  I  will  try  to  see  his  Senators  and  get 
them  to  assist  him. 

I  have  had  a  summer  of  very  hard  work,  and  a  good  deal  of  oppo- 
sition from  malicious  men  in  my  district.  But  I  think  I  have  con- 
quered most  all  the  difficulties  of  the  situation.  I  had  hoped  to  visit 
Iowa  during  the  past  season,  but  having  failed,  I  look  forward  to  some 
future  time  when  I  may  call  upon  you  in  your  pleasant  home. 

I  am  sorry  to  tell  you  that  the  hurry  and  work  of  the  past  few 
years  have  been  making  some  inroads  upon  my  health,  and  I  am  starl- 
ing out  on  the  heavy  work  of  this  winter  with  an  uncomfortable  threat 
of  dyspepsia  which  hangs  over  me.  I  am  taking  medicine  and  doc- 
toring up  as  carefully  and  prudently  as  I  can. 

I  send  you  a  copy  of  an  address  I  delivered  at  Hudson  College 
last  summer,  which  you  may  care  to  read. 

With  all  the  sacred  memories  of  other  days,  I  am,  as  ever, 
Your  friend  and  brother, 

J.  A.  Garfield. 

One  day  later  came  the  following: 

House  of  Representatives,  ) 
Washington,  D.  C,  Jan.  9,  1874.  / 
Dear  Corydon  : — Since  writing  you  last,  I  have  called  on  your  two 
Iowa  Senators,  and  made  arrangements  to  unite  with  them  in  asking 
that  Capt.  Russell  be  allowed  to  remain  undisturbed  in  his  present  po- 
sition. I  went  this  morning  with  Senator  Allison  to  the  Treasury  De- 
partment, and  urged  the  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury  to  interpose  and 
prevent  Capt.  Russell's  removal.  We  learned  that  it  was  the  purpose 
of  the  Chief  of  the  Detective  Force  to  remove  him  on  the  1st  of  Feb- 
ruary, and  that  our  visit  this  morning  had  prevented  it. 

With  kindest  regards,  I  am,  ever  yours, 

J.  A.  Garfield. 

While  the  efforts  of  Gen.  Garfield  in  behalf  of  his 
old  comrade  in  the  field  were  temporarily  successful, 
the  gallant  Captain  did  not  long  escape  the  official  guil- 
lotine, but  I  am  happy  to  say  the  decapitation  has  not 
resulted  disastrously,  as  he  appears  to  be  still  happy 
and  prosperous. 


422  REMINISCENCES    OF 

The  following  note  explains  itself: 

Washington,  D.  C,  Jan.  10,  1874. 
Dear  Corydon : — Twelve  years  ago  to-day  I  fought  my  first  battle, 
and  won  my  Brigadier-Generalship,  at  Prestonburg,  Kentucky.  I  send 
you  this  memorial  of  it,  written  by  the  Tvpe  Writer,  a  recent  and  in- 
teresting invention.  The  gentleman  who  writes  for  me  says  he  can 
complete  a  letter  with  this  machine  in  one-ihird  the  time  that  he  could 
with  the  pen.  I  send  you  this  specimen  of  his  work,  with  my  compli- 
ments. Very  truly  yours, 

Jas.  A.  Garfield. 

I  acknowledged  the  above  letter,  and  here  our  cor- 
respondence ceased  for  nearly  three  years.  Of  course, 
I  always  noted  what  was  said  of  him  in  the  public 
press,  and  rejoiced  in  his  success  and  advancement.  I 
read  all  his  speeches  which  were  published,  and  found 
no  cause  to  revise  my  estimate  of  his  unflinching  integ- 
rity and  great  ability. 

Our  correspondence  was  renewed  by  the  following 
letter : 

Washington,  D.  C,  Oct.  23,  1876. 

My  Dear  Corydo7i : — On  Saturday  last  I  addressed  a  large  Repub- 
lican meeting  at  Hackensack,  four  miles  from  Schraalenburgh,  where  I 
went  with  you  twenty-two  years  ago.  I  have  never  been  so  near  there 
before,  and  it  brought  up  the  old  memories  to  be  so  near.  I  was  called 
here  by  telegraph  to  the  bedside  of  our  little  boy,  Edward,  who  is  very 
ill,  and  I  fear  will  not  recover.  He  was  recovering  from  the  whooping 
cough,  and  his  disease  went  to  his  brain.  He  has  now  been  lying  in 
an  unconscious  state  nearly  four  days ;  and  unless  the  pressure  can  soon 
be  removed  he  can  not  last  long.  He  is  a  beautiful  child  of  two  years, 
and  the  thought  of  losing  him  rives  our  hearts.  But  he  is  in  the 
keeping  of  our  good  Father,  who  knows  what  is  best  for  us.  All  the 
rest  of  us  are  well. 

I  have  worked  very  hard  this  campaign,  having  spoken  almost 
constantly  for  two  months.  You  have  probably  seen  that  I  was  re- 
elected by  about  nine  thousand  majority,  this  being  my  eighth  election. 
But  of  what  avail  is  public  honor  in  the  presence  of  death? 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  423 

It  has  been  a  long  time  since  I  have  heard  from  you,  and  I  hope 
you  will  write  soon. 

As  ever,  your  friend  and  classmate, 

James  A.  Garfield. 

Of  course,  I  answered  the  above  letter  at  once, 
with  such  words  of  consolation  as  I  could  give  in  his 
hour  of  sorrow,  and  early  in  November  received  the 
following  letter,  written  the  day  after  the  Presidential 
election,  while  the  country  was  in  doubt  as  to  the  re- 
sult: 

Washington,  D.  C,  Nov.  9,  1876. 

My  Beat  Corydon : — I  arrived  in  this  city  yesterday  afternoon,  and 
found  your  kind  letter  of  the  2nd  inst.  awaiting  me.  Our  precious 
little  Eddie  died  on  the  25th  of  October,  and  the  same  evening  Crete 
and  I  left  with  his  body,  and  on  the  27th  we  buried  him  beside  our 
little  girl,  who  died  thirteen  years  ago.  Both  are  lying  in  the  grave- 
yard at  Hiram,  and  we  have  come  back  to  those  which  are  still  left  us, 
but  with  a  desolation  in  our  hearts  known  only  to  those  who  have  lost 
a  precious  child. 

It  seems  to  me  that  we  are  many  years  older  than  we  were  when 
the  dear  little  boy  died.  His  little  baby  ways  so  filled  the  house  with 
joy  that  the  silence  he  has  left  is  heart-breaking.  It  needs  all  my  phi- 
losophy and  courage  to  bear  it. 

It  was  very  hard  to  go  on  with  the  work  of  the  great  campaign 
with  so  great  a  grief  in  my  heart ;  but  I  knew  it  was  my  duty,  and  I 
did  it  as  well  as  I  could.  I  spoke  almost  every  day  till  the  election; 
but  it  now  appears  that  we  are  defeated  by  the  combined  power  of  re- 
bellion, Catholicism  and  whiskey,  a  trinity  very  hard  to  conquer.  What 
the  future  of  our  country  will  be,  no  one  can  tell.  The  only  safety  we 
can  rely  on  lies  in  the  closeness  of  the  vote,  both  on  the  Presidency  and 
the  members  of  the  House  of  Representatives.  We  have  so  far 
reduced  the  strength  of  the  Democratic  House  that  I  hope  they  will 
not  be  able  to  do  much  harm.  Still,  we  shall  have  a  hard,  uncomfort- 
able struggle  to  save  the  fruits  of  our  great  war.  We  shall  need  all 
the  wisdom  and  patriotism  the  country  possesses  to  save  ourselves  from 
irretrievable  calamity.  If  we  had  carried  the  House  of  Represent- 
atives, it  was  almost  certain  that  I  should  have  been  elected  Speaker. 
But  of  course  that  has  gone  down  in  the  ge   eral  wreck. 


424  REMINISCENCES    OF 

I  hope  the  time  may  come  when  we  can  sit  down  and  renew  the 
memories  of  other  days,  and  enjoy  a  long  visit.  I  am  now  here  for  the 
winter,  and  shall  soon  be  at  work  in  the  Supreme  Court,  where  I  have 
a  number  of  important  cases. 

With  much  love,  I  am,  as  ever, 

Your  friend  and  brother, 

James  A.  Garfield. 

It  will  be  noted  that  Gen.  Garfield  attributed  the 
supposed  defeat  of  1876  to  precisely  the  same  cause 
which  Dr.  Burchard  recognized  as  conspiring  to  defeat 
Mr.  Blaine  in  1884.  The  alliterative  form  of  expres- 
sion was  the  only  thing  original  with  the  noted 
preacher,  and  while  he  was  so  bitterly  censured  for  the 
sentiment  he  expressed,  it  was  the  truth  of  history 
that  the  trinity  of  enemies  which  have  been  allied  against 
the  great  principles  supported  by  those  who  fought  to 
save  the  Union,  and  which  have  succeeded  in  defeating 
the  party  of  Lincoln  and  Garfield  was  recognized  and 
fitly  characterized  both  by  the  much  abused  doctor  and 
his  immortal  predecessor. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 

MR.    GARFIELD    NOMINATED    FOR    PRESIDENT. — A    VISIT    TO 
HIM    AT    MENTOR. 

During  the  four  years  from  1876  to  1880,  I  received 
only  a  few  brief  letters  from  Mr.  Garfield.  The  heavy 
labors  of  his  position  as  Representative  of  a  populous 
district,  and  his  varied  and  manifold  duties  in  other 
fields,  of  course,  left  little  time  for  mere  social  and 
friendly  correspondence.  I  received  his  published 
speeches  and  an  occasional  note.  Among  them  was 
the  following,  in  answer  to  an  urgent  invitation  for 
a  visit  to  Des  Moines : 

Mentor,  O.,  August  8,  1878. 
Corydon  E.  Fuller,  Esq.  : — My  Dear  Friend—  Vours  of  the  19th 
of  July  came  duly  to  hand.  I  wish  it  were  possible  for  me  to  go  to 
Iowa,  as  you  and  your  friends  request,  for  I  have  long  wanted  to  visit 
you.  But  my  engagements  here  and  in  the  East  are  so  numerous  that 
I  fear  it  will  be  impossible  for  me  to  get  as  far  as  Iowa,  although  I  may 
speak  once  in  Chicago. 

My  family  are  all  well,  and  on  the  farm  in  Mentor,  Lake  county.  I 
wish  you  and  Mary  could  visit  us. 

With  kindest  regards,  I  am,  as  ever, 

Yours, 

J.  A.  Garfield. 

In  January,  1880,  Mr.  Garfield  was  elected  by  the 
Legislature  of  Ohio  to  a  seat  in  the  Senate  of  the 
United  States,  and  I  wrote  an  editorial  article  for  the 
Des  Moines  Journal,  thus  announcing  the  fact : 


426  REMINISCENCES    OF 

It  is  with  no  little  pleasure  that  we  announce  the  election,  by  the 
Legislature  of  Ohio,  of  Gen.  J.  A.  Garfield  to  the  Senate  of  the  United 
States.  His  history,  from  a  poor  fatherless  boy  to  a  seat  in  the  highest 
assembly  in  the  nation,  has  been  that  of  a  triumphant  march,  every 
step  of  which  has  been  glorious.  The  writer  first  met  him  in  the  fall 
of  1851,  at  Hiram,  Ohio,  when  he  became  a  student  of  the  "  Western 
Reserve  Eclectic  Institute,"  a  few  months  before  his  twentieth  birthday. 
Athletic,  broad-shouldered,  in  the  full  vigor  of  health,  both  of  mind 
anil  body,  even  then  his  fellow-students  recognized  him  as  a  giant 
among  them,  whom  they  cheerfully  and  gladly  accepted  as  their 
leader. 

He  was  wholly  dependent  upon  his  own  resources  for  the  means 
of  obtaining  his  education,  and  was  then  earning  his  tuition  by  ringing 
the  college  bell  to  call  the  classes  to  recitation.  Less  than  five  years 
later  we  saw  him  graduate  with  distinguished  honors  at  Williams  Col- 
lege, from  whence  he  returned  to  Hiram,  and  soon  after  became  Presi- 
dent of  the  Institution  where  we  first  met  him. 

Five  more  years  passed  by,  and  he  had  been  admitted  to  the  bar 
of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Ohio  ;  had  served  a  term  in  the  Senate  of  that 
great  commonwealth,  and  had  gone  forth  at  the  head  of  a  regiment  of 
the  flower  of  her  youth  to  help  save  the  nation  from  the  armed  traitors 
who  sought  its  destruction.  Two  years  later  he  wore  the  stars  of  a 
Major  General,  and  had  been  chosen  to  a  seat  in  the  American  Con- 
gress. Here  for  nearly  eighteen  years  he  has  held  his  place  by  almost 
the  unanimous  suffrage  of  a  district  not  excelled  in  intelligence  by  any 
in  the  Nation. 

And  all  through  this  magnificent  career  he  has  maintained  his  in- 
tegrity, and  shown  the  world  a  pattern  of  the  far-sighted,  clear-headed, 
great-hearted  Christian  statesman,  whose  study  has  been  to  legislate, 
not  for  the  narrow  bounds  of  his  own  district,  but  for  the  great  Nation 
which  he  recognized  as  his  country.  No  selfish  schemes  for  the 
aggrandizement  of  his  immediate  constituency  at  the  expense  of  the 
National  Treasury  have  ever  found  favor  with  him,  but,  despising  the 
petty  arts  of  the  politician,  his  has  been  the  work  of  the  statesman. 

It  was  not  to  have  been  expected  that  one  so  prominent,  and  held 
in  such  high  esteem  by  good,  true  men  of  every  shade  of  opinion, 
should  wholly  escape  the  malicious  attacks  of  those  whose  souls  are  too 
small  and  whose  instincts  are  too  mean  to  comprehend  true  greatness- 
and  unselfish  devotion  to  principle.  The  preposterous  slanders  of  such 
men  are  the  tribute  knaves  pay  to  real  worth. 

In    the  Senate  of  the  United  States,   Gen.  Garfield  will  take  no. 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  427 

mean  rank.  In  the  prime  of  his  manhood — he  is  now  only  forty-eight 
years  old — of  vigorous  constitution,  temperate  and  well  balanced,  it 
requires  no  prophet  to  predict  for  him  still  higher  honors  than  he  has 
yet  received. 

The  above  was  published  Jan.  15,  1880.  The  can- 
vass had  already  begun  among  Republicans  for  a  suit- 
able candidate  for  the  Presidency,  and  so  far  as  Iowa 
was  concerned,  the  universal  favorite  was  James  G. 
Blaine,  even  as  early  as  January.  While  Gen.  Grant 
had  a  great  host  of  friends  and  admirers,  there  were 
but  few  who  were  in  favor  of  attempting  to  elect  him  a 
third  time  to  the  high  office  which  even  Washington 
and  Lincoln  had  held  but  twice.  It  had  become  the 
unwritten  law  of  the  Republic  that  eight  years  was  the 
full  measure  of  service  as  President,  and  even  under  the 
magnificent  leadership  of  Conkling,  Logan  and  Came- 
ron, success  in  a  scheme  which  involved  the  overthrow 
of  all  the  cherished  precedents  of  our  history  was  from 
the  first  almost  an  impossibility. 

As  the  months  passed  on,  and  the  time  approached 
for  the  great  quadrennial  assembly,  which  was  to 
decide  for  the  dominant  party  in  a  nation  of  fifty  mil- 
lions who  should  be  its  standard-bearer  in  the  great 
contest,  John  Sherman,  the  great  Ohio  Senator,  also 
appeared  among  the  aspirants,  while  others  with  less 
following  were  named  among  possible  candidates. 

The  Convention  was  to  meet  at  Chicago,  the  1st  of 
June,  and  as  I  was  about  to  visit  the  East  on  the  busi- 
ness of  the  company,  I  decided  to  spend  a  day  or  two 
at  the  Convention,  and  I  therefore  wrote  a  line  to  Mr. 
Garfield,  requesting  him,  if  convenient,  to  save  an  ad- 
mission ticket  for  me.      I  received  the  following  reply  : 


428  REMINISCENCES    OP 

Grand  Pacific  Hotel,  "> 
Chicago,  May  29,  1880.  j 
My  Dear  Corydon: — I  have  just  arrived  here  this  morning,  and  find 
yours  of  the  28th  awaiting  me.  I  shall  be  glad  to  grasp  your  hand 
again,  after  so  long  a  separation.  No  arrangement  has  yet  been  made 
for  tickets,  and  I  fear  it  will  not  be  possible  for  me  to  get  more  than 
the  small  number  I  shall  be  compelled  to  give  to  fill  promises  already 
made.  But  if  there  is  any  possibility  of  my  aiding  you  I  shall 
certainly  do  so. 

Give  my  love  to  Mary,  and  be  assured  I  am,  as  ever, 
Your  friend,  ■ 

J.  A.  Garfield. 

I  arrived  in  Chicago  on  the  morning  of  June  1,  and 
soon  after  9  o'clock  called  at  Mr.  Garfield's  rooms  at 
the  Grand  Pacific,  where  he  received  me  with  all  his 
old-time  cordiality.  He  introduced  me  to  Gov.  Foster, 
who  was  with  him,  as  one  of  his  old  classmates,  and 
excused  himself  for  a  time  to  renew  old  associations  ; 
but  I  knew  he  was  very  busy,  and  told  him  I  could  not 
take  his  time  from  his  duties.  So  we  arranged  that  on 
my  return  from  the  East  I  was  to  spend  a  day  or  more 
at  his  home  in  Mentor.  I  am  sure  that  neither  of  us 
then  anticipated  his  receiving  the  nomination. 

As  it  was  evident  that  the  work  of  the  Convention 
would  require  a  number  of  days,  I  decided  to  proceed 
on  my  journey,  and  accordingly  I  left  the  city  at  5 
o'clock  p.  m.,  and  with  a  few  stops  on  the  way,  reached 
Geneva,  N.  Y.,  on  Thursday,  and  the  old  home  of 
Mrs.  Fuller,  at  Butler,  on  Saturday. 

The  most  of  Monday  was  spent  at  Wolcott,  where 
we  could  receive  bulletins  of  the  work  at  Chicago.  The 
balloting  had  commenced  on  Monday  morning,  and 
twenty-eight  ballots  had  been  taken  up  to  the  hour  of 
adjournment.  I  was  hoping  for  the  nomination  of  Mr. 
Blaine,  while  the  most  of  those  about  me  were  for  Gen. 


JAMES    A.   GARFIELD.  429 

Grant.  In  the  evening  I  had  returned  to  the  farm, 
some  two  miles  from  the  village,  and  did  not  hear  any 
news  until  Tuesday,  about  3  o'clock  p.  m.,  when  some 
parties  who  were  shingling  on  the  roof  of  a  barn  on 
the  adjoining  farm  commenced  swinging  their  hats  and 
shouting,  and  though  they  were  nearly  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  away,  we  distinguished  the  name  of  Garfield.  I 
lost  no  time  in  going  to  them,  and  learned  that  word 
had  come  announcing  the  nomination,  on  the  thirty- 
sixth  ballot,  of  my  old  friend  as  candidate  for  President 
of  the  United  States.  It  would  be  impossible  for  me 
to  express  my  gratification  at  this  crowning  honor  to 
one  who  for  nearly  twenty-nine  years  had  seemed  to 
me  as  a  brother. 

The  next  day  I  continued  my  journey,  and  arrived 
in  the  city  of  New  York  at  7  o'clock  Thursday  morn- 
ing. It  was  not  quite  twenty-six  years  since  Mr.  Gar- 
field and  I  had  arrived  in  the  same  city,  on  his  way  to 
Williams  College,  when  he  accompanied  me  to  Schraal- 
enburgh,  N.  J.,  where  I  was  teaching.  Now,  his  name 
was  on  a  thousand  banners  and  his  fame  upon  a  million 
tongues. 

After  spending  some  ten  days  in  the  city  and  at 
sundry  places  in  New  England,  I  started  on  my  return, 
and  reached  Chardon,  O.,  my  native  town,  in  the  dusk 
of  the  evening  of  the  18th  of  June.  It  had  been  more 
than  nineteen  years  since  my  last  visit,  and  I  felt  like  a 
stranger  even  among  kindred.  Many  of  those  whom  I 
had  known  best  were  in  their  graves,  and  a  new  genera- 
tion had  taken  their  places.  I  remained  at  Chardon, 
visiting  among  my  relatives  and  friends,  until  Wednes- 
day morning,  June  23,  when,  in  company  with  Miss 
Emma   J.   Smith   and   Miss   Ella  Smith,  I  started   for 


43o 


REMINISCENCES    OF 


Mentor,  to  pay  the  promised  visit  to  Mr.  Garfield. 
Miss  Emma  was  a  niece  and  Miss  Ella  a  cousin  of  my 
two  cousins  who  in  1852  kept  house  for  Mr.  Garfield, 
my  brother  and  myself  at  Hiram.  It  was  a  beautiful 
morning,  and  our  ride  over  the  hills  for  the  dozen 
miles  was  very  pleasant.  The  girls  were  familiar  with 
the  country,  and  as  both  were  bright  and  intelligent, 
even  a  longer  journey  would  not  have  been  monot- 
onous. 

We  arrived  at  the  farm  of  Mr.  Garfield  about  10 
o'clock.  I  found  him  in  the  little  office,  which  all  the 
world  has  heard  of,  dictating  letters  to  two  phonogra- 
phers  while  in  one  corner  of  the  room  lay  a  pile  of  news- 
papers sufficient  to  fill  a  large  wagon-box.  He  had 
about  five  thousand  unanswered  letters  and  telegrams, 
and  was  busily  employed  upon  them.  I  assured  him 
that  I  had  not  come  to  take  his  time  from  his  duties, 
as  I  fully  appreciated  the  circumstances,  but  deter- 
mined, before  returning  home,  to  see  him  for  a  few 
moments,  as  well  as  the  place  where  he  lived.  He 
gave  some  rapid  directions  to  his  secretaries,  put  on 
his  coat  and  hat,  and  led  me  out  to  the  carriage  which 
I  had  hitched  at  the  gate,  jumped  in  himself,  and  bade 
me  do  so,  and  taking  the  lines,  drove  into  the  yard  and 
down  the  long  lane  which  leads  back  north  through  the 
farm  and  across  the  Lake  Shore  Railroad.  As  we 
drove  along,  he  said  he  had  not  desired  the  nomination 
he  had  received  at  the  present  time,  but  would  have 
preferred  to  spend  a  few  years  in  the  Senate.  He  said 
he  did  not  deny  he  should  have  hoped  at  some  future 
time  to  receive  it,  after  he  had  become  better  prepared 
to  execute  its  great  duties ;  but  as  it  had  come  unsought, 
he  should  accept  it,  and,   if  elected,    do   the    best    he 


JAIVrES    A.    GARFIELD.  43 1 

could.  He  showed  me  the  improvements  he  had  made 
on  the  farm  and  others  he  had  planned  which  were  yet 
to  be  made ;  pointed  out  a  fine  peach  orchard  he  had 
planted ;  stopped  a  few  minutes  to  give  directions  to 
his  foreman  as  to  some  hay  which  had  been  cut  and 
which  he  thought  sufficiently  cured  to  be  put  into  the 
barns.  When  we  reached  the  yard,  he  ordered  a  hired 
man  to  put  up  the  horse,  as  he  said  we  were  going  to 
stay  to  dinner. 

We  entered  the  house  through  the  old-fashioned 
brick-paved  court  in  the  rear,  and  there,  by  a  table, 
was  his  aged  mother,  busily  engaged  pitting  some 
cherries  to  make  pies  for  dinner.  As  we  came  up  to 
her,  he  said,  "Do  you  know  this  little  old  woman?" 
laying  his  hand  affectionately  on  her  shoulder,  and 
adding,  "Mother,  don't  you  remember  Corydon  ?" 
She  gave  me  a  cordial  greeting,  and  we  passed  on  into 
the  house.  His  daughter  Mollie  had  been  entertaining 
the  young  ladies  who  came  with  me,  and  he  welcomed 
them  heartily,  recalling  incidents  of  the  time  when  we 
had  been  at  Hiram,  before  they  were  born,  when  their 
aunts,  now  long  since  dead,  were  with  us. 

While  we  were  talking,  Mrs.  Garfield,  who  was 
absent  in  town  on  our  arrival,  came  home  and  added 
her  greeting.  Her  father,  Mr.  Zeb  Rudolph,  was  also 
present,  and  Mr.  Garfield  excused  himself  to  return  to 
his  letter-writing,  until  dinner  time. 

At  dinner  there  were  some  four  or  five  guests  besides 
ourselves.  Among  them  was  Hon.  A.  G.  Riddle. 
After  dinner  I  requested  Mr.  Garfield  to  explain  his 
connection  with  the  pavement  matter  at  Washington, 
which  his  enemies  were  already  attempting  to  use 
against  him,  assuring  him  that  it  was  only  to  be  able 


432  REMINISCENCES    OF 

to  refute  the  charges,  which  I  knew  could  be  explained, 
that  I  made  such  request.  He  went  to  the  east  end  of 
the  porch,  and  sitting  down  on  the  floor  with  his  feet 
on  the  ground,  went  over  the  matter  to  my  entire  sat- 
isfaction ;  I  need  not  attempt  to  repeat  here  the  facts, 
which  have  been  fully  stated  and  are  accessible  to 
those  who  care  to  know  the  truth. 

We  remained  until  about  3  o'clock,  when  we  bade 
him  and  his  family  good  by,  and  drove  to  Painesville, 
where  I  took  the  train  for  home,  at  6  o'clock,  while  my 
companions  returned  to  Chardon.  It  was  my  final  good- 
by  to  James  A.  Garfield. 


^tA^^r-r- 


CHAPTER  L. 

THE    CLOSING    TRAGEDY. 

I  arrived  at  home  on  the  26th  of  June,  and  found 
that  the  mass  of  the  people  were  fully  satisfied  that  the 
Presidential  nomination  had  fallen  upon  Gen.  Garfield, 
since  the  choice  of  Mr.  Blaine  by  the  Convention 
could  not  be  secured.  The  Republican  newspapers 
were  busy  hunting  up  every  scrap  of  his  wonderful  his- 
tory, and  such  of  them  as  in  the  past  had  affected  to  be- 
lieve some  of  the  merciless  lies  against  him  were  active 
in  their  efforts  to  beat  a  graceful  retreat  from  their  old 
positions.  One  Iowa  paper,  whose  editor  had  seldom 
mentioned  his  name  without  a  sneer,  experienced  an 
almost  instantaneous  conversion,  and  became  at  once 
his  enthusiastic  friend  and  champion.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  papers  and  orators  opposed  to  him  proved  to 
their  own  satisfaction  that  he  was  not  only  dishonest 
and  villainous,  but  destitute  of  ability.  For  my  own 
part  I  never  had  the  slightest  doubt  of  his  triumphant 
election.  He  had  never  been  defeated,  and  I  had  such 
faith  in  his  destiny  that  it  seemed  to  me  an  impossibil- 
ity that  he  should  fail  now. 

Early  in  October  I  made  another  visit  to  New 
York,  arriving  there  the  8th.  On  the  evening  of  the  1  ith 
the  Republicans  had  the  grandest  torch-light  proces- 
sion I  had  ever  seen.  It  was  said  that  more  than  forty 
thousand  men  were  in  the  procession,  which  reached 


434  REMINISCENCES    OF 

for  miles  along  Broadway.  I  started  for  home  on 
Tuesday  night,  and  on  Wednesday  morning  learned  of 
the  result  of  the  election  the  day  before  in  Ohio  and 
Indiana.  The  slanders  and  insults  of  unscrupulous 
enemies  had  failed  to  shake  the  faith  of  the  people  in 
the  incorruptible  integrity  of  Mr.  Garfield,  and  the  vic- 
tory seemed  already  won.  At  South  Bend  I  made  a 
short  stop  to  see  Mr.  Colfax  and  other  friends,  so  that 
I  did  not  reach  home  until  Saturday. 

I  had  two  or  three  brief  notes  from  Mr.  Garfield 
during  the  canvass,  relative  to  some  of  the  slanders 
which  were  afloat,  and  concerning  which  I  was  anxious 
to  have  the  truth.  Of  course,  I  could  not  and  did  not 
expect  any  letters  other  than  in  answer  to  my  requests 
for  information,  as  I  knew  he  was  overwhelmed  with  an 
enormous  correspondence,  and  his  time  belonged  to 
fifty  millions  of  his  countrymen,  and  my  share  would 
be  very  little.  After  the  election  I  had  no  correspond- 
ence with  him. 

As  the  time  approached  for  his  inauguration  I  de- 
cided that  I  did  not  care  to  be  one  of  the  vast  throng 
which  would  gather  on  that  occasion  at  Washington. 
I  had  seen  the  ceremonies  in  1865,  when  Abraham 
Lincoln  was  inaugurated  the  second  time,  and  heard 
from  his  lips  that  immortal  speech  which  has  never 
been  excelled  in  human  language,  and  I  thought  I 
should  prefer  to  visit  the  city  at  some  later  date  when 
the  multitude  had  departed.  So  I  contented  myself 
with  reading  the  accounts  of  the  pageant,  though  my 
brother,  C.  C.  Fuller,  who,  as  has  been  before  stated, 
was  one  of  the  three  room-mates  at  Hiran,  was  present 
and  was  warmly  received  by  our  illustrious  friend. 

My  story  is  almost  done.     All  the  world  knows  the 


JAMES    A.     GARFIELD.  435 

history  of  the  four  busy  months  that  followed,  while 
the  new  President  was  organizing  the  Government  for 
the  accomplishment  of  those  far-reaching  plans  which 
he  so  much  desired  to  carry  out,  every  one  of  which 
was  worthy  of  the  enthusiastic  support  of  all  good  and 
honest  men.  With  his  long  and  intimate  acquaintance 
with  governmental  affairs,  he  not  only  knew  what 
needed  to  be  reformed  but  how  to  bring  about  the  ref- 
ormation. Despising  the  cowardly  arts  of  the  dema- 
gogue, he  had  never  asked  whether  a  measure  would 
be  popular,  but  had  fearlessly  supported  that  which  he 
believed  to  be  right,  and  his  friends  might  safely  chal- 
lenge the  minutest  search  into  every  detail  of  his  eigh- 
teen years  of  service  as  a  representative  to  find  a  single 
vote  cast  for  a  selfish  or  dishonorable  purpose.  Now 
that  he  had  been  elevated  to  the  Chief  Magistracy,  he 
was  filled  with  a  noble  ambition  to  leave  a  record  of 
great  deeds  done  for  the  honor  and  aggrandizement  of 
the  country  which  had  conferred  upon  him  such 
supreme  distinction. 

Before  the  election  he  had  suffered  from  the  un- 
scrupulous zeal  of  his  enemies,  who  stopped  at  no  dis. 
graceful  or  dishonest  means  to  compass  his  defeat ;  after 
the  election  be  was  compelled  to  enter  a  contest  with  a 
faction  of  those  claiming  to  be  his  political  friends,  \vho 
were  equally  destitute  of  principle,  equally  unscrupu- 
lous as  to  the  means  of  accomplishing  their  base  and 
selfish  ends,  and  far  more  dangerous  than  his  open  and 
avowed  enemies.  One  of  the  partial  compensations 
for  the  loss  of  Mr.  Garfield,  cruel  and  horrible  as  it 
was,  has  been  the  everlasting  overthrow  of  the  vile  and 
conscienceless  men  whose  rapacious  greed  and  un- 
bridled  ambition,    like   Samson   of   old,    when    pulling 


436  REMINISCENCES  OF 

down  the  pillars  of  the  temple  to  destroy  the  enemies 
they  hated,  buried  themselves  among  the  ruins. 

It  was  on  Saturday,  July  2,  1881,  about  10  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  that  the  telegraph  brought  us  the  aw- 
ful news  of  the  assassination.  It  seemed  like  some 
stunning  blow  to  me,  and  I  went  about  wearily,  and  I 
have  only  a  dull  remembrance  of  that  direful  day. 
Only  one  incident  is  clear  and  distinct,  and  that  is  the 
cruel  and  mean  insinuation  of  one  prominent  man  in 
Des  Moines,  made  to  me  in  the  first  terrible  hour  of 
sorrow,  that  Mr.  Garfield  was  in  league  with  thieves 
and  robbers.  I  see  him  often  but  I  have  not  forgiven 
his  heartless  words,  and  never  shall  until  they  are 
retracted. 

The  days  that  followed — days  of  alternate  hope  and 
despair,  when  all  the  world  waited  and  watched  by  the 
bed  of  the  illustrious  sufferer — passed  slowly  by.  The 
hot  July,  the  sultry  and  suffocating  August,  and  then 
the  cool  breezes  of  the  murmuring  sea,  which  temp, 
ered  the  bright  September  days — I  need  not  recall 
their  sad,  their  mournful  history.  He  slowly  died,  and 
we  waited  for  the  tolling  bell  to  tell  us  that  the  hours 
of  anguish  were  over.  Millions  heard  the  knell  as  it 
was  borne  on  the  still  air  of  night,  that  19th  of  Septem- 
ber'and  needed  no  other  to  announce  that  James  A. 
Garfield  had  passed  from  earth. 

The  details  of  the  funeral  honors  which  his  admir- 
ing countrymen  bestowed  upon  the  dead  will  be  found 
in  any  of  the  score  of  volumes  devoted  to  his  biog- 
raphy. I  will  not  attempt  to  repeat  them  here.  The 
sad  journey  from  the  cottage  at  Elberon  to  the 
Nation's  capital,  and  thence  to  his  beloved  home  on 
the  shore  of  Lake   Erie,  and  his   princely  obsequies — 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  437 

all  these  have  been  told  more  eloquently  than  they 
could  be  in  any  words  of  mine.  I  had  no  heart  to  be 
one  of  the  thronging  thousands  that  joined  in  that 
mournful  pageant. 

A  few  months  later,  I  spent  a  few  hours  at  his 
country  home,  where  last  I  saw  him  in  all  his  glorious 
strength,  only  awaiting  the  crowning  glories  of  Novem- 
ber, when  the  American  people  were  to  choose  him  as 
their  Chief  Magistrate.  Though  the  summer  sun 
shone  over  the  landscape,  and  though  his  family  had 
learned  to  bear  their  grief,  yet  the  shadow  of  a  great 
sorrow  seemed  to  brood  over  all ;  the  place  seemed  to 
me  so  sad,  and  so  bereft  of  all  hope  and  gladness,  that 
I  could  not  have  endured  a  longer  sojourn. 

Once  I  have  been  to  Lakeview  Cemetery  and  stood 
before  the  tomb  within  which  rested  his  mortal  re- 
mains. A  file  of  soldiers  guarded  the  entrance,  while 
through  the  grated  door  was  visible  the  casket,  covered 
with  flowers  with  which  loving  hands  had  sought  to 
hide  the  horrors  of  a  charnel  house.  Near  by,  on  a 
commanding  eminence,  is  soon  to  rise  a  fitting  monu- 
ment, and  under  the  granite  he  will  find  a  grave,  until 
the  "mortal  shall  put  on  immortality." 

But  the  true  monument  to  James  A.  Garfield  will 
not  be  of  granite.  More  imperishable  than  the  rocks, 
or  the  metals  hid  away  beneath  the  foundations  of  the 
mountains,  the  record  of  his  immortal  deeds  will  be 
cherished  by  the  generations  that  are  to  come,  and  will 
grow  brighter  with  the  flight  of  years.  The  history  of 
such  a  man  will  outlive  the  crumbling  shaft,  and  ages 
hence  will  be  a  stimulus  and  an  inspiration  to  all  that 
is  noble  and  good. 

I  look  back  over  the  checkered  history  of  the  thir- 


438  REMINISCENCES    OF 

ty-five  eventful  years  which  have  passed  away  since  we 
first  met  at  Hiram.  I  see  him  in  the  vigorous  strength 
of  his  maturing  manhood,  with  his  loving  heart  binding 
to  him  in  closest  affection  those  who  were  so  fortunate 
as  to  come  within  the  sunshine  of  his  presence.  I  see 
him  as  he  stands  before  the  listening  assembly  telling 
in  tender  words  the  simple  story  of  the  cross,  and 
pointing  troubled  souls  to  the  hope  and  joy  and  tri- 
umph of  a  brighter  morning  beyond  the  trials,  the 
toils  and  the  temptations  which  meet  us  in  our  earthly 
pilgrimage. 

Again,  seated  by  his  side,  I  see  the  green  hills  and 
the  glorious  landscape  that  lie  along  the  Hudson,  as  we 
sweep  over  the  glassy  surface  of  that  noble  river, 
toward  the  great  city,  where  for  the  first  time  he  was 
to  gaze  upon  the  mighty  ships  under  a  hundred  alien 
flags  as  they  floated  in  her  beautiful  harbor,  and  feel 
again  the  impulse  which  had  so  moved  his  boyish 
heart,  when  the  climax  of  his  ambition  had  been  to 
tread  the  quarter-deck  as  a  great  naval  Captain. 

The  months  drift  by,  and  with  him  I  look  out  upon 
the  mountains  which  environ  Williamst-own,  and  then 
I  see  him  stand  before  the  literati  of  Massachusetts  to 
receive  the  honors  he  had  so  grandly  won,  and  the  sons 
of  the  Pilgrims  are  proud  of  the  genius  and  eloquence 
of  tne  blue  eyed,  Saxon-haired  stranger. 

The  next  scene  in  the  wonderful  panorama  is  when 
he  stands  among  the  law-makers  of  a  great  common- 
wealth, and  while  the  black  cloud  of  civil  war  is  gather- 
ing in  the  heavens  and  the  muttering  thunders  tell  of 
the  breaking  of  the  fearful  storm,  and  men's  hearts  are 
failing  them  for  fear,  in  words  of  tremendous  power  he 
defends   the  right   of   his   country   to  protect   her   life 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  439 

against  her  misguided. sons  who  are  seeking  to  blot  out 
her  name  from  the  roll  of  nations  and  bury  freedom  in 
a  grave  with  no  hope  of  resurrection. 

Again  I  see  him  for  three  terrible  years,  wearing  the 
Nation's  blue,  and  periling  life  itself  in  defense  of  his 
country ;  and  I  listen  to  his  burning  words  as  he  urges 
his  countrymen  to  forget  party  and  stand  by  the  Gov- 
ernment until  Peace  spreads  her  white  wings  over  a  suf- 
fering and  bleeding  land. 

I  see  him  watching,  oh !  how  tenderly,  beside  the 
dying  couch  of  his  first-born,  struggling  in  that  hour  of 
anguish  to  bear  the  loss  so  bravely  as  not  to  add  to  the 
sorrow  of  her  who  shared  it  with  him  ;  and  yet  crushed 
as  it  were  to  earth,  as  he  so  keenly  realized  how  power- 
less mortals  are  to  drive  away  the  angel  that  comes  to 
call  our  loved  ones  to  the  better  land  ;  and  then  I  see  a 
grave  and  on  a  humble  headstone  : 

"  LITTLE  TROT." 
"She  wears  the  crown  without  the  conflict." 

I  see  him  for  nearly  a  score  of  busy  years  in  the 
halls  of  Congress,  honored  and  trusted  by  all  who  were 
noble  enough  to  recognize  his  matchless  ability  and  his 
solid  worth  ;  hated  and  feared  by  the  rapacious  robbers 
who  live  by  plunder  and  grow  rich  on  the  rewards  of 
villainy.  He  is  the  friend  of  Lincoln  ;  he  is  on  the 
the  right  side  of  every  great  question  ;  he  is  the  cham- 
pion of  truth  and  justice,  of  good  faith  and  national 
honor. 

Once  more,  and  he  has  reached  the  supreme  hight 
of  mortal  ambition  ;  he  is  the  chosen  Chief  Magistrate 
of  a  nation  of  fifty  millions  of  the  most  intelligent  and 
noble  people  of  the  earth  ;   and  yet,   crowned  as  was 


440  REMINISCENCES    OF 

never  king  or  emperor  by  the  free  choice  of  so  grand  a 
people,  he  is  the  same  great-hearted,  noble,  unselfish, 
God-fearing  man  whom  the  humblest  of  all  his  coun- 
trymen might  approach  with  confidence  and  full 
assurance  of  his  sympathy  and  aid  in  his  hour  of  need. 
His  powerful  intellect,  trained  in  the  school  of  experi- 
ence, and  his  conscience  enlightened  by  the  precepts  of 
God's  holy  word,  he  is  bending  all  his  energies  to  ac- 
complish those  far-reaching  plans  and  purposes  which 
distinguish  the  statesman  from  the  politician  ;  he  would 
promote  peace  and  good  will  among  the  nations  and 
open  up  a  closer  intercourse  between  them ;  stimulate 
commerce  and  bring  back  the  days  when  our  starry  flag 
was  known  in  every  harbor  and  floated  over  every  sea. 
He  would  disseminate  among  his  own  countrymen  a 
juster  and  more  generous  appreciation  of  each  other ; 
break  down  the  cruel  walls  of  prejudice  and  hasten  the 
day  when  north  and  south  and  east  and  west  should 
become  one  united  and  homogeneous  people,  proud  of 
their  common  country  and  cemented  by  ties  which 
never  more  could  be  broken. 

And  now,  his  work  but  half  begun,  there  fell,  as 
falls  the  thunderbolt  from  the  sky  of  June,  the  blow  of 
the  cruel  assassin,  followed  by  the  long  nights  and 
days  of  suffering,  while  with  alternate  fear  and  hope  the 
world  awaited  the  end  of  his  earthly  career.  How 
bravely  he  endured  the  agony  of  those  weeks  of  pain  ; 
how  tenderly  he  cared  for  those  about  him,  and  with 
what  faith  and  trust  in  God  be  closed  his  eyes  in  the 
dreamless  sleep  which  men  call  death — all  this  is  a 
familiar  story  and  need  not  be  told  anew. 

The  days  of  struggling  toil  are  over.  He  has  found 
a  grave  among  the  people  who  loved  and  trusted  him, 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  44I 

but  this  fame  belongs  not  to  them  alone.  In  far  off 
lands,  among  the  teeming  multitudes  of  the  Orient ;  in 
the  palaces  of  kings  and  in  the  hovels  of  the  poor  and 
lowly,  the  story  of  this  man,  born  in  the  rude  log-cabin 
in  the  wilderness,  has  become  as  household  words  and 
all  the  earth  has  learned  to  love  and  praise  him. 

In  all  that  ennobles  and  dignifies  human  nature ;  in 
a  heart  tender  and  true  and  loving  ;  in  a  mind  wherein 
was  garnered  the  richest  treasures  of  knowledge ;  in  an 
intellect  mighty  in  its  grasp  ;  in  a  physical  frame  won- 
derful in  its  perfection  ;  in  a  character  free  from  every 
stain  of  dishonor  ;  in  a  conscience  ever  true  to  the  right 
as  he  saw  it ;  in  a  soul  grand  in  its  loyalty  to  duty  and 
to  God,  you  may  search  in  vain  for  his  superior,  whether 
among  the  living  or  the  dead. 

And  when  the  multitudes  who  now  delight  to  honor 
him  shall  have  slept  for  centuries  in  their  graves, 
and  the  monument  which  his  admiring  countrymen  shall 
erect  to  his  memory  shall  have  crumbled  into  dust, 
history  will  retain  upon  her  imperishable  records  the 
name  of  James  A.  Garfield  as 

"  One  of  the  few,  the  immortal  names, 
Which  were  not  born  to  die." 


CENTRAL  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 

University  of  California,  San  Diego 


DATE  DUE 

MAY  25  1984 

a  39 

UCSD  Libr. 

